The cupboard is bare!

Kimbrell · June 07, 2008, 01:05:47 AM

I have a 2 year old hive of Italian bees. They had the most brood when I checked them the first time this spring. They have been among the most active of all my hives this year. I use two deeps for brood boxes. These were already drawn last year. I supered this hive during the first nectar flow about three weeks ago. Upon checking them today I see that they have done NOTHING! The foundation (wax) in the super is not even drawn. All my other hives are working on their second super by now. Even the newest swarm hives have drawn out their brood boxes and are working on drawing out their supers. I have seven other hives that are two to three years old. I have already harvested full capped supers from ninety per cent of them. This hive has no pest or health problems that I have seen. What do I do now??? :?

CBEE · June 07, 2008, 09:22:13 AM

Are the deeps full yet ? Are you using a queen excluder ? My italians do not like the QE at all. I pulled the thing off and it was like I just opened a door to a new room they didnt know was there.

Jim134 · June 07, 2008, 10:05:27 AM

Do you have eggs or brood in the brood boxes??? :?

Bee Happy Jim 134

JP · June 07, 2008, 10:18:19 AM

Quote from: Kimbrell on June 07, 2008, 01:05:47 AM
I have a 2 year old hive of Italian bees. They had the most brood when I checked them the first time this spring. They have been among the most active of all my hives this year. I use two deeps for brood boxes. These were already drawn last year. I supered this hive during the first nectar flow about three weeks ago. Upon checking them today I see that they have done NOTHING! The foundation (wax) in the super is not even drawn. All my other hives are working on their second super by now. Even the newest swarm hives have drawn out their brood boxes and are working on drawing out their supers. I have seven other hives that are two to three years old. I have already harvested full capped supers from ninety per cent of them. This hive has no pest or health problems that I have seen. What do I do now??? :?

Try placing some honey frames from one of the other hives up top and see if this doesn't get them in the mood.

...JP

Kimbrell · June 07, 2008, 11:06:42 PM

There are eggs and brood in the brood boxes. They are both full; and I don't use Queen Excluders. I extracted some honey from my other hives today. I'll put a super that needs to be cleaned out on this hive and see what happens.

the kid · June 08, 2008, 07:52:35 PM

are you sure theres not a streamlined puddy cat useing it as a reastrant for her midnight snack .... last year my son said his hives wasnt building up ,
I told him a skunk was stoping in for a nightly snack ... he didnt think so til he caught it ,, I keep carpet tack strips on the entrance of all my hives .. one lick and snack times over ...
the kid

Kimbrell · June 08, 2008, 11:39:26 PM

I suppose that's a possibility. But I haven't seen any evidence of skunks lately. My dogs usually manage to find any scented visitors, if you know what I mean!

JP · June 09, 2008, 05:54:05 AM

Quote from: Kimbrell on June 08, 2008, 11:39:26 PM
I suppose that's a possibility. But I haven't seen any evidence of skunks lately. My dogs usually manage to find any scented visitors, if you know what I mean!

Don't count on dogs or cats keeping all the critters away, sometimes they either are too lazy or just don't care enough to go after certain critters!

I've seen rats eat outta dog bowls while Fido was taking a nap not very far away. I know some cats that didn't do their job either.

...JP