OK, My first posting here even though I have spent many a late night on your site over the last few years but never had a need to post until now. Last summer, running 12 hives with the poor rainy weather, we did not pull my honey since they did not make much. Fed into fall and made sure they had plenty of food for the winter. I watched several hives freeze in Jan. and Feb. Lost 6 out of 12. They each had several frames of honey in each box and I put those out for my remaining hives to rob out. These hives today have had pollen patties on for a month, plenty of honey, and I found the queens in 4 out of 6 hives, but no brood. Only 1 hive has brood. The queens look good, just not laying. I am in Georgia and should be trying to keep swarms at bay, not watching the handful of bees left in each box die off. Any ideas? Bad queens from last year or am I missing something?
Fumidil B. Fumidil B. Fumidil B.
Did I mention Nosema Ceranae
OK, that all adds up except there is no signs of bee poop everywhere. I will mix some feed up tonight anyways, maybe spray them down and they will take it in.
Nosema Apis leaves spots.
Nosema Ceranae does not.
Another question, I had medicated them, and hopefully they will turn around, but I think I could help them out by buying some nucs and putting some good frames in the weak hives. Does any body this this would hurt?
I don't know if it will work here but I switch frames out all the time on weak hives after splits and such.
If it were me I would use this as an opportunity to switch out some comb. Meaning to put new comb out of the hive you take the brood out of and take some older comb out of the weak hive to make room for it then clean/ replace that wax and foundation from those removed frames.