What to do for the best?

[JCD]

I think my mentor may be on holiday.....so please can you advise me.

Background in brief: Hive 1: 25/6/11 Q absent. QC found.
7/7/11 New Q emerged
18/7/11 Unsealed brood seen
25/7/11 No new unsealed brood. 5 QC's found.

My Hive 1 bees are dwindling in numbers, understandably, and last inspection's unsealed brood are now sealed brood. However, I didn't see any 'new' unsealed brood. (I can't focus on the eggs, so
I look for unsealed brood) and I didn't see the queen (that's not a surprise where I'm concerned!) What I did find was five small queen cells (?). If they were QC's, they weren't very impressive looking, maybe 1/2" long at the most, and all sealed. They were half way down two frames, and not at the bottom of the frames. I removed 3 of them, and there were larva in them.
Would you agree that it looks like I've somehow lost the queen for a second time?

On the forum I've been following a brilliant thread about wasps, (wasp bane) and learnt that at a certain stage in their life cycle they eat grubs not honey. I think I mentioned that wasps were getting into that hive. I'm wondering whether it's possible that the queen is still there, but that the unsealed brood is being eaten by the wasps. Inview of the presence of what I think are queen cells - probably not. It's just a thought. I have reduced the entrances to both my hives.

My other young hive is thriving.....there are now 9 frames of brood in the brood box, and half the frames in the super have been drawn. The queen is visible and well. Should I remove the Q excluder on this hive so that she can lay in the super if she wants to?

Should I take a frame of emerging brood from the thriving hive, and put it in the weaker hive? If yes, should I do it now or when the next queen emerges? Would this be throwing good bees after bad at this stage of the season? or is there a chance that this weaker hive can build up enough for the winter? I suppose I could merge them again before the winter if things don't go to plan.

I would appreciate any advice.....thank you in anticipation

 

[Midland Beek]

Would you agree that it looks like I've somehow lost the queen for a second time?

Yup. Similar situation happened in one of mine ... New queen mated and came into lay. Excellent pattern and normal cappings. A short while later: No queen, but 3/4 puny-looking queen cells found.

I would think along the lines of supersedure swarm, and you should perhaps give them their chance with their own queen cells - I would not have destroyed any. (In the case of my colony, I was able to destroy the queen cells and requeen).

> It is up to you where you let the queen lay in the hive.
> Donating sealed brood from strong to weak is certainly possible if you need to increase its strength.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Or you accidentally squat the queen on the 18/7.....or they balled her,and these are emergency cells. Did you see the queen on this date?

 

[JCD]

No I didn't see the queen. I can't help thinking that her absence is because of something I did. I have a lot to learn.

Thank you for your replies.

My mentor is now back in circulation, and he's going to come round and take a look with me, and decide on a plan of action.