Unhealthy brood/laying workers - advice please

[Anthony.]

Hi all,

Following our first proper inspection last weekend and i was hoping for some advice regarding some unhealthy looking brood.

We overwintered this colony in a single brood with the queen being new in 2019. We got the colony from a friend at the beginning of last year and after struggling with the queen all summer eventually lost her in september. We were able to raise a new queen by introducing eggs from our second hive but ever since have been worried about whether we were quick enough to get her mated etc.

However looking at the colony we dont know whether she is laying but not well or we have laying workers.

Our initial thoughts were maybe chalkbrood but we didn't notice any mumified dead bees, we wondered maybe laying workers as the lay pattern looks poor and clearly they are tearing down a number of cells.

Would appreciate any help and advice!

 

[drex]

All drone brood. Are there multiple eggs in cells? Think I can see white deposits in the neck of cells, which are mite faeces, so likely a heavy mite load

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Looks grim. Start again, time I would think.

 

[Erichalfbee]

DLQ
Varroa
Insufficient work force to look after larvae which is why they look that way.
They are doomed.
Start again.
What varroa treatment did you use?

PS
If you lose a queen in September it might pay to just buy in a mated queen
Hivemaker usually has them that late

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Doomed I'm afraid - shake them out and start again

 

[simonforeman]

Sorry not hijacking op but may be if use to him and to myself. After I shook my drone laying hive out today, I have 3 or 4 frames like in the pics. Is It best to melt these down of can they be reused in some way?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sorry not hijacking op but may be if use to him and to myself. After I shook my drone laying hive out today, I have 3 or 4 frames like in the pics. Is It best to melt these down of can they be reused in some way?

with frames in that state, with brood in, they usually go on the bonfire next time it's lit

 

[Anthony.]

thank you all for your responses! A real shame but hopefully we can learn for next time.

With regards to buying a mated queen in we did that as the first course and the bees rejected her.... hence why we then tried rearing our own

 

[Erichalfbee]

thank you all for your responses! A real shame but hopefully we can learn for next time.

With regards to buying a mated queen in we did that as the first course and the bees rejected her.... hence why we then tried rearing our own

Hi Anthony
Have a look at Mike Palmers videos on push in cages.
I try to use these for most of my introductions.

https://youtu.be/zvtuR_8sgvI