What’s Happened ?

[Charliej]

On returning from holiday yesterday I did an inspection on my three hives today only to find that all three hives are queenless with no sign of brood at any stage . There were no queen cells in any hive and the comb is being filled up with honey . Any ideas what has happened , and what’s my best course of action .

 

[Bakerbee]

Silly question but are you absolutely positive they are all queenless. Do you have links with any associations or other beekeepers. You need some frames of eggs to double check and if so some new queens. It seems highly unusual for all three to become queenless at the same time.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do you always find the queen when you inspect?
My betting - the queen is having a break from laying - a lot do at around this time of the year.
Many don't notice brood breaks as they don't go delving into their hives this late in the season without good reason

 

[birdsandbees]

I have several hives with no brood at present, they are queen right and look healthy but no eggs or BIAS (Brood in 'any' stage).
as above I wouldn't normally know but I do have one hive I think is Queenless and I was looking through the others for a donor frame to check.
if they don't get going soon I'll be getting worried as they have reduced quite a lot in numbers covering only five seams in some!
I can't even blame the treatment as they haven't been treated yet (I usually OA vape) but there's a very low mite drop.

 

[Charliej]

Thanks for your replies , I will check again next week to see if anything has changed . I don’t always see the queen , but I always see eggs or young larvae.
How long can there be a brood break ?

 

[linoleum bonypart]

No pollen = no brood ... could try polllen patties

 

[enrico]

Thanks for your replies , I will check again next week to see if anything has changed . I don’t always see the queen , but I always see eggs or young larvae.
How long can there be a brood break ?

Till spring!!!!!!

 

[Millet]

This time of the year during Varroa treatments i can see seams of dark brown wax capping's on the inspection trays (emerging brood) .. i vape four times seven days apart and a fifth or more if need be...with the inspection trays being in for three days after each treatment over that period of time i am happy to see brood cappings and to date no varroa or very little.. with the brood cappings and very few drones i know i still have laying Queens in each colony..

 

[Popparand]

This time of the year during Varroa treatments i can see seams of dark brown wax capping's on the inspection trays (emerging brood) .. i vape four times seven days apart and a fifth or more if need be...with the inspection trays being in for three days after each treatment over that period of time i am happy to see brood cappings and to date no varroa or very little.. with the brood cappings and very few drones i know i still have laying Queens in each colony..

Brood (dark) wax cappings are only proof that there was a queen there three weeks ago, but all things being equal there is no reason why she should have scarpered since then.

I haven't seen or to tell the truth looked for a queen for some weeks, but I know they are there because of the visible behaviour of the colony. Queenless colonies become confused and this shows itself in aggression, inability to protect the nest from robbers and chaotic behaviour. (Shoot me down if I am wrong).

The flyers are happily bringing in nectar and pollen whenever they can and going about their business as usual. Why disturb them or open up the hive unnecessarily in the current cold weather?

 

[Millet]

Brood (dark) wax cappings are only proof that there was a queen there three weeks ago, but all things being equal there is no reason why she should have scarpered since then.

I haven't seen or to tell the truth looked for a queen for some weeks, but I know they are there because of the visible behaviour of the colony. Queenless colonies become confused and this shows itself in aggression, inability to protect the nest from robbers and chaotic behaviour. (Shoot me down if I am wrong).

The flyers are happily bringing in nectar and pollen whenever they can and going about their business as usual. Why disturb them or open up the hive unnecessarily in the current cold weather?

Ok.

 

[Beefriendly]

. Queenless colonies become confused and this shows itself in aggression, inability to protect the nest from robbers and chaotic behaviour. (Shoot me down if I am wrong).

Consider yourself mortally shot....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

to date no varroa or very little

No wonder - if you're vaping seven days apart they're probably popping into the next cells to be sealed before you knock them down.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I agree
7 days is too long