Just got back from a three week trade show. I checked all my hives before I left and all seemed fine. I was resolved to harvest when I got back. Just got in from checking them, all seem fine except one hive. The hive(Russians) seemed really lethargic, no honey or nectar, very and I mean very little brood, no bee bodies, no queen cells, and couldn't find a queen. I put in a frame of brood from a strong hive. Any suggestions? Should I feed and attempt to resurrect or let die out this late in the season? :cry:
You did the prudent and best thing possible. My only question is: did you make sure the frame of brood contained fresh eggs (last 72 hrs) so that a queen could be reared if the hive is without one.
It sounds like the hive swarmed and the replacement queen didn't survive her mating flights.
I have read that it has been observed that to control the vorroa mite russian bees pull infected brood at a higher rate of other bees. However, some strains start pulling brood at a higher infection level than other straints, so sometimes they start pulling after critical mass and the hive dwindles till they die. I have -no- idea if that is the case, I just thought I would put some info out.
I have also read that russians have a strong propensity to swarm being that they are a carniolan strain... I am sorry, there was something else that I meant to mention and I can not think of it right now for I am full of sleepiness, in any case, good luck!