unhatched eggs

[deb]

What's going on when there are unhatched eggs in a colony. I've got a small nuc with a new queen and they've had the same frame of eggs for a week at least - unhatched. Have they got chilled? In which case why don't they remove them?

They look happy enough with their queen, but they are small. I would expect to see capped brood, but it's not really happening. Queen was bought and introduced successfully.

deb

 

[Skyhook]

Just a guess, but perhaps there was a problem with the eggs (eg chilled), they did clear them out and the frame has been re-laid?

Another possibility is that although they have accepted the queen, the egg police are removing her eggs and she is re-laying as they do so.

Look again in another week, the situation may have changed, but disturb as little as possible while she is settling in- leave them for a week, then a quick peek.


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[deb]

Thanks Skyhook. Some good advice there.

 

[Finman]

.
It is usual that queen lays eggs but bees do not start to bees hatched eggs.
It is cold of lack of food why they do so.

If eggs are dead, bees eate them.

,

 

[beeno]

Hi Deb,
I had exactly that problem with a cast swarm. United. No lack of nurse bees in my case, so I concluded duff queen. My best colony this year less the queen.

 

[Chris B]

Eggs must be incubated at the right temperature to develop and hatch. They can remain viable for a while before they start developing.

 

[Finman]

They look happy enough with their queen, but they are small.

deb

Have you seen pollen stores in frames. If the colony has not enough pollen, it rears s´mall bees = lack of food milk. I have seen it in mating nucs. Finally bees eate their larvae.
Like just now here . KIt has rained the whole week. They do not get pollen from outside but they have good frames filled with pollen.

If it becomes from lack of pollen. You should move the hive to a place where they get it. They will not survive over winter if they cannot feed larvae and get capped brood.

 

[BeeJayBee]

@ deb - are they small bees, as Finman thinks, or is it a small colony of bees?

If there aren't enough bees, can you spare a frame of sealed brood from your other colony?