I started my first hive last season. I installed a package of Italians from Walter Kelley in early spring into 8 frame medium supers I got from Brushy Mountain. The bees did great and everything was going super, I wound up putting on three medium supers for brood and three for surplus honey and got a couple frames of surplus honey. I fed my girls into the fall and thought everything was great. About a month ago I saw a few bees flying near the house and thought Id check on the hive and fill the hive top feeder. When I inspected, it looked like the bees where still in cluster in the third super down still with lots of honey above. I closed things up and felt satisfied that everything was good. Yesterday was a gorgeous day, the sun was shining and it was near 80 degrees, I thought what a perfect day to do a spring inspection. I walked down to the hive to see lots and lots of bees going in and out of the hive, I smoked the hive a little and opened it up, lots of bees taking feed from the feeder. The top super still with 4 frames full of honey, the next super still with 3 frames of honey. Now was the big surprise, it looked at first like the cluster was still together, but it is way to late and warm for that. I began pulling frames to find thousands of dead bees that apparently froze in the cluster last fall, only inches from honey. So I removed that super and searched and searched for any sign of a queen, any eggs or brood at all, and found none. So my first thought was all these bees flying must be robbing this dead hive. So I spent some time inspecting closer and it looks like these bees are taking the syrup from the hive top feeder and putting it into the comb below. So Im really confused, do these bees belong to this hive? Where did they come from with no queen? Why would robbing bees from another colony store syrup in the comb of another colony? I was so confused and unsure what to do. I called Walter Kelley and told them what was going on. They told me that perhaps these bees had hatched from the last eggs the queen had laid and the nurse bees had capped, although I have no sign of a drone layer? Anyway they thought it might be worth a try to put a new queen in the hive and see if these bees release her and take her as their own. So I ordered a queen. Now I am second guessing myself and wonder if I just bought a $25 bug that is destined for death. So my options are: 1 leave the hive alone and add the queen when she arrives tomorrow or monday. 2 pack up all my gear in a bee tight building and wait for a package or swarm to put into my woodenware and execute my new queen. 3 Get one of the local beekeepers aroud to sell me three or four frames of mostly capped brood with nurse bees to add my new queen to. I am leaning torward option 3 but am not sure if I should put these new bees into the existing hive where there is still, today lots and lots of bee traffic. Should I start the new queen and some bummed brood in a nuc and then move into my hive. Do I pull the honey and feeder off the hive and see if the activity stops? I sure would appreciate any and all advice. Thanks for taking a look at my dilema and sorry for the lengthy post.
-Rob
P.S. I had a mouse gaurd on the hive all winter, then took it off in early spring when I began to see what I thought where cleansing flights. I put a entrance reducer in its place. I took the intrance reducer off yesterday as there was so much traffic the bees where waiting in line to get into the hive, at first I thought this was a good thing, a sign of a strong colony that wintered well.
I would remove all empty boxes and condense all bees into 2 or 3. Then I would remove the feeder and wait. It sounds as if a swarm has moved into a dead hive. Once reduced, wait 7 days and reinspect. If the queen you bought arrives, put her in the hive with both corks in place. The 7 day inspection will decide what to do with her.
It's too bad you are ashamed to put your location in your profile. It would help to give you much better answers.
Thanks iddee for the reply. Sorry for not including my location, guess I didnt think it was that big of a deal, I edited my profile if that helps.
It helps a lot. Thanks. Wish you luck on the hive.
Patiently awaiting the outcome so plz keep us updated,Will definately be a learning experience for lots of us new beeks here :pop:
So last night after dark I put on my head lamp and went down to the hive. I peaked into the entrance and no bees. I slowly took off the top and no bees on or in the feeder. I took of the feed and peered down between the frames, no bees - not a one. My suspisions have been confirmed, all the bees working at the hive must be robbers. It is sadening to know that I lost my colony, but after talking with several area beekeepers last night Im not the only one. One fifth generation professional keeper I spoke with last night said that the late blizzard we had three weeks ago was the demise of many of his colonies. He did offer to help me out and get me a few frames of brood and their nurse bees to tend my new queen. I hope the weather works out and he's able to inspect and pull a few frames on the timeline of the new queens arival. I will update when some more action starts.
-Rob
Sorry about the bad news. It's hard to know what to do when something like this first happens.
Regards,
Tucker1
Sorry abt that Rob,just remain positive tho and remember it's a learning experience and technically you've taught alot of us here also.
That is a shame but isnt it nice to have friends who can help you out when you need it. I had I hive die on me this year too. It happens but not giving up thats what makes you a keeper. Hope all works well with you this year.
So the queen I ordered last week showed up on friday in the mail. Here I was with no bees in my hive and a brand new shiny queen. Luckily I was fortunate enough to call on a local beek I know who lives nearby. I told him of my dilema and he invited me to come and get some bees from one of his stronger hives this morning. We opened a nice stron colony this morning and pulled out a couple frames with mostly capped brood, then we sprayed some bees from the hive with syrup and shook them into the box. I brought the new girls home and put my new queen in. Lets hope everyone gets along and my new bees are up and going soon. On another good note I went to the woodshop last night and built a sharp little 5 frame nuc, I put in some lemon grass oil and pheramone and put the box near and old farm house that has had bees in the walls for years. Lets hope if the bees swarm I can pick up some free bees.
X:X Hit da lights ,hit da lights,da show's abt to start :pop:
Good for you.