What did you do in the Apiary today?

[JamezF]

Well, it's been a bit of a morning.

I decided to inspect the two hives that I moved over the winter from one side of my house to the other. That seemed to go pretty well at the time. Both of the hives have a fair bit of activity at the entrance today, guards are on duty and pollen is being brought in.

When I took the roof off the first hive it was clear that there were quite a few bees inside -- enough to cover at least ten frames (in a double brood), but it took me a while to get in as they'd propolised the first dummy board to the walls and built brace comb against it. Perhaps I didn't put it in perfectly last time. When I eventually got it loose and inspected the combs there was obviously quite a bit of pollen and honey still present, but absolutely no brood whatsoever I couldn't find the queen, but the bees were quite calm. Far more so than I'd expect them to be if she wasn't there. The other major thing I noticed was that they'd propolised up about half of the OMF.

The fact that there's plenty of pollen being brought in suggests to me that there's still a group of bees there that think they're a viable colony. I don't see any of the classic signs of robbing from the outside and to be honest given that the bees have been flying for a few weeks now if it were being heavily robbed I'd expect most of the honey to have gone by now rather than still being sealed. In fact I've had expected a huge amount of robbing to be obvious just from the outside when the weather was very warm a few weeks back.

I'd like to suggest that the cause is a failed queen, particularly as I found a couple of empty queen cups, but what gives me doubts is that the second hive is exactly the same: plenty of stores, lots of bees, guards at the entrance, pollen being brought in, but no brood. I probably have to face the fact that I've done something in the course of the move or earlier that has resulted in this situation though at the moment I can't think what. One colony perhaps having a late supercedure last year and failing to get the queen mated properly might not be a surprise given that the tail end of the summer was quite depressing here weather-wise. To have two in the first two colonies I inspected just seems like too much of a coincidence.

For now I'm not sure what to do, nor even if there's anything I can do. If I pinched a frame of eggs from another colony they might be able to raise a new queen (though I have strong doubts given that they're probably all "winter" bees), but would she then stand a chance of getting mated in early May? Not convinced.

Bit of a depressing start, really. Not entirely sure I feel like opening any more hives up for the time being.

James

 

[Wilco]

Well, it's been a bit of a morning.

I decided to inspect the two hives that I moved over the winter from one side of my house to the other. That seemed to go pretty well at the time. Both of the hives have a fair bit of activity at the entrance today, guards are on duty and pollen is being brought in.

When I took the roof off the first hive it was clear that there were quite a few bees inside -- enough to cover at least ten frames (in a double brood), but it took me a while to get in as they'd propolised the first dummy board to the walls and built brace comb against it. Perhaps I didn't put it in perfectly last time. When I eventually got it loose and inspected the combs there was obviously quite a bit of pollen and honey still present, but absolutely no brood whatsoever I couldn't find the queen, but the bees were quite calm. Far more so than I'd expect them to be if she wasn't there. The other major thing I noticed was that they'd propolised up about half of the OMF.

The fact that there's plenty of pollen being brought in suggests to me that there's still a group of bees there that think they're a viable colony. I don't see any of the classic signs of robbing from the outside and to be honest given that the bees have been flying for a few weeks now if it were being heavily robbed I'd expect most of the honey to have gone by now rather than still being sealed. In fact I've had expected a huge amount of robbing to be obvious just from the outside when the weather was very warm a few weeks back.

I'd like to suggest that the cause is a failed queen, particularly as I found a couple of empty queen cups, but what gives me doubts is that the second hive is exactly the same: plenty of stores, lots of bees, guards at the entrance, pollen being brought in, but no brood. I probably have to face the fact that I've done something in the course of the move or earlier that has resulted in this situation though at the moment I can't think what. One colony perhaps having a late supercedure last year and failing to get the queen mated properly might not be a surprise given that the tail end of the summer was quite depressing here weather-wise. To have two in the first two colonies I inspected just seems like too much of a coincidence.

For now I'm not sure what to do, nor even if there's anything I can do. If I pinched a frame of eggs from another colony they might be able to raise a new queen (though I have strong doubts given that they're probably all "winter" bees), but would she then stand a chance of getting mated in early May? Not convinced.

Bit of a depressing start, really. Not entirely sure I feel like opening any more hives up for the time being.

James

I know how you feel. Had similar with my favourite colony just now. Eggs and BIAS on last inspection. Today no eggs, couldnttspot queen. Bees happy and plenty of stores. No queen cells or cups. Will see what they're like in a week, if still nowt then a test frame is in order.

 

[JamezF]

I know how you feel. Had similar with my favourite colony just now. Eggs and BIAS on last inspection. Today no eggs, couldnttspot queen. Bees happy and plenty of stores. No queen cells or cups. Will see what they're like in a week, if still nowt then a test frame is in order.

I feel slightly better that I'm not the only one, but it's still all a bit crap. I think I'm going to give mine a week too. I hope yours sort themselves out.

James

 

[The Poot]

I feel slightly better that I'm not the only one, but it's still all a bit crap. I think I'm going to give mine a week too. I hope yours sort themselves out.

James

I wonder if the weather changing from very warm to the cold spell has just caused the queens to stop laying. My colony is pretty much the same re unsealed brood - but you’ve found none at all?

 

[JamezF]

I wonder if the weather changing from very warm to the cold spell has just caused the queens to stop laying. My colony is pretty much the same re unsealed brood - but you’ve found none at all?

It's always possible I somehow missed some, but I don't think so. It could be that she's stopped laying because of the cold I guess. Good idea that I'd not thought of. Particularly as I've just looked at another that seems to be the same. This one was a bit of a mess though as it's a swarm that moved into pair of stacked brood boxes with used empty frames in last year and didn't have the decency to line their comb up with the frames so I can't really be sure. I had a few guard bees gently bumping my veil with this one and again they're bringing in pollen, so it also looks like they also still think they're a viable colony.

I wanted to change some of the comb in these hives anyhow. As an alternative to leaving them for a week I'm half-tempted to put a new bottom box on, shake the bees into it and fill it with foundation, then put another box on top with some of the combs of stores and some of the empty combs and leave it to see what happens. That half feels like fiddling with stuff for the sake of something to do, but if there were brood I'd be looking to do pretty much the same about now anyhow and if the queen does suddenly start laying again the evidence will be easy to find.

James

 

[enrico]

It's always possible I somehow missed some, but I don't think so. It could be that she's stopped laying because of the cold I guess. Good idea that I'd not thought of. Particularly as I've just looked at another that seems to be the same. This one was a bit of a mess though as it's a swarm that moved into pair of stacked brood boxes with used empty frames in last year and didn't have the decency to line their comb up with the frames so I can't really be sure. I had a few guard bees gently bumping my veil with this one and again they're bringing in pollen, so it also looks like they also still think they're a viable colony.

I wanted to change some of the comb in these hives anyhow. As an alternative to leaving them for a week I'm half-tempted to put a new bottom box on, shake the bees into it and fill it with foundation, then put another box on top with some of the combs of stores and some of the empty combs and leave it to see what happens. That half feels like fiddling with stuff for the sake of something to do, but if there were brood I'd be looking to do pretty much the same about now anyhow and if the queen does suddenly start laying again the evidence will be easy to find.

James

When I moved to Taunton area I moved three hives here in the summer. They settled in well. The following spring every single one of the was queen less for no apparent reason. I have never had no queen's before! Had to buy in and there went 40 years of getting my perfect queen line. Weird when coincidence strikes like that!

 

[JamezF]

When I moved to Taunton area I moved three hives here in the summer. They settled in well. The following spring every single one of the was queen less for no apparent reason. I have never had no queen's before! Had to buy in and there went 40 years of getting my perfect queen line. Weird when coincidence strikes like that!

You've lived in the Taunton area for forty years?! You must almost be considered a local by now.

James

 

[Boston Bees]

It could be that she's stopped laying because of the cold I guess.

In Somerset?

I'm sceptical, sorry to say.

If there is no brood of any kind in mid April, despite plenty of food and pollen in the hive then, IMHO, both queens are gone. Very bad luck.

Gathering pollen doesn't, I think, indicate much. Bees do it because there is lots of pollen around to collect, I think.

 

[JamezF]

In Somerset?

I know. It was below -3°C here last Sunday morning though.

James

 

[Boston Bees]

I know. It was below -3°C here last Sunday morning though.

James

Not as cold as up here though, and even the weakest hive I have has 3 or 4 frames of capped brood.

 

[enrico]

You've lived in the Taunton area for forty years?! You must almost be considered a local by now.

James

No. I've kept bees for 40 years. Only been here six! Never will be a local

 

[Curly green finger's]

Interesting day supers I added when we had the good weather back at the end of March have 6 - 9 frames of brood, split the brood nest with comb and added supers over newspaper.
Added a second bc to some moving emerging brood above minimum 2 frames not good to isolate one frame above.
Hived up the strongest wintered nucs with comb.
Plenty of nectar coming in from osr/ dandelions flowering well this year the dandelions.
I have two DLQs and 1 queen not laying
DLQs will get united and the queen not laying is being united with a overwintered mini Mating nuc.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Gathering pollen doesn't, I think, indicate much. Bees do it because there is lots of pollen around to collect, I think.

 

[Curly green finger's]

And me!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Started the job that I say every year that I'll crack on with in midwinter and always leave until the cherries blossom.
Cleaning queen excluders

 

[JamezF]

And me!

Yes, I agree, mostly they do it because they're honey bees. However, that and the guarding behaviour does suggest that there is at least the remnants of a colony there, not just a hive full of robbers.

James

 

[Boston Bees]

Yes, I agree, mostly they do it because they're honey bees. However, that and the guarding behaviour does suggest that there is at least the remnants of a colony there, not just a hive full of robbers.

James

Oh yes, clearly not robbers, sorry for any confusion. Just not necessarily a queen, or anything to make a queen.

 

[Boston Bees]

supers I added when we had the good weather back at the end of March have 6 - 9 frames of brood, split the brood nest with comb and added supers over newspaper.

You've confused me (not hard)

The queen has laid in your supers (normal), so you have split the brood nest with comb (fair enough), but where does the newspaper come into this?

 

[JamezF]

Oh yes, clearly not robbers, sorry for any confusion. Just not necessarily a queen, or anything to make a queen.

Quite possibly, yes. My experience though is that whilst the scrag end of a queenless colony doesn't put up much of a fight, they are quite ill-tempered when there are lots who are queenless and these were really quite calm. I don't know if that's generally the case though. I've not had to deal with that many queenless colonies really.

James

 

[Wilco]

Quite possibly, yes. My experience though is that whilst the scrag end of a queenless colony doesn't put up much of a fight, they are quite ill-tempered when there are lots who are queenless and these were really quite calm. I don't know if that's generally the case though. I've not had to deal with that many queenless colonies really.

James

I find it's more that they're often 'twitchy' rather than ill tempered.