unusual behavior

[Craig1961]

I took delivery of a hive of bees last evenng. They have been inspected and treated.
I have not seen any bees out and about today.
Had a peep inside tonight.. All ten fames drawn out, but does not seem to be crammed with bees.
In conparison, bees in my other hive have been working a lot of the day.
Any ideas.... A little worried.

 

[VEG]

did you inspect them?

 

[huntsman666]

How far from you was the hive before you took delivery of it?

If close, the field bees may have gone back to the original site.

 

[Craig1961]

Bee inspector saw the bees a few weeks ago. Moved over 12 miles.
Will have more time to assess them over the weekend.

 

[Skyhook]

Possible they may have swarmed before you got them- there seem to have been a lot of late swarms due to the weather.

 

[itma]

I took delivery of a hive of bees last evenng. They have been inspected and treated.
I have not seen any bees out and about today.
Had a peep inside tonight.. All ten fames drawn out, but does not seem to be crammed with bees.
In conparison, bees in my other hive have been working a lot of the day.
Any ideas.... A little worried.

Sounds like a single brood box WBC?

Possible they may have swarmed before you got them- there seem to have been a lot of late swarms due to the weather.

Swarmed for lack of space?



If they had swarmed late, aren't the important things for the poster to be checking:- the presence of a laying (thus mated even so late) queen (eggs/uncapped brood in a normal pattern) and the stores situation?
But presumably, with a now somewhat 'thin' colony, the stores requirement is reduced?
Though with an understrength colony, would they benefit from extra insulation, even in the WBC?

 

[oliver90owner]

Sounds like a single brood box WBC?

Could be any one of several hive types.

RAB

 

[itma]

Sounds like a single brood box WBC?

Could be any one of several hive types.

RAB

Doubtless, but had you noted what the poster shows as his main hive type?

 

[oliver90owner]

Yep, on checking properly (did look, got wrong post!) you are likely right. Sorry.

RAB

 

[itma]

I'm more interested to learn what other advice he would be given, as to where he should go from here. (Double brood next year? !!)

But, I think the primary concern right now should be whether the queen is mated/laying.
Then how to get them through the winter. Maybe even transfer to poly nuc?
But I'm testing my learning, not lecturing!

 

[tonybloke]

checked by bee inspector a few weeks ago

is worrying!
bees should be checked a few minutes before being sold, not weeks.
without seeing the colony, my guess is that the original queen has swarmed.

 

[Craig1961]

Thanks all. It is a Brood WBC.
I will transfer to a nuc and try to get them through the winter. Get some food on for a week or so.
I now think they swarmed between inspection and delivery. The supplier (Private) will see me right, but I do not like the thought of losing the bees.
Might bring them in and snuggle them up to the woodburner for a few months.
Craig