Hive full of honey... No sign of a queen.

Candiebears · July 12, 2015, 03:41:49 PM

I have an entire hive of honey and nectar. Not a single egg or trace of a queen anywhere... What did I do wrong??? And how do I fix it???

Im so upset I cried :(

Is the difference in wax color normal??

I did see 3 small little black beetle like bugs.

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JackM · July 13, 2015, 09:19:07 AM

Sorry you lost her, no eggs is pretty clear sign. The comb is whitest when new and as time goes along and they use it for brood it darkens.

Candiebears · July 13, 2015, 10:01:38 AM

Quote from: JackM on July 13, 2015, 09:19:07 AM
Sorry you lost her, no eggs is pretty clear sign. The comb is whitest when new and as time goes along and they use it for brood it darkens.

Ok. Just wanted to check about the wax. I've emailed several local apiaries.. hoping I can find a replacement quick. If not I'll have to have one over nighted. There was NO brood :( and all the cells were cleaned. I had 3 drones... that were in capped and I don't think were alive.

Kathyp · July 13, 2015, 05:23:52 PM

Is this your only hive?

Candiebears · July 13, 2015, 05:36:38 PM

Quote from: kathyp on July 13, 2015, 05:23:52 PM
Is this your only hive?

Yes. I'm having a queen overnighted... Hopefully I can help them

Michael Bush · July 13, 2015, 05:45:41 PM

The problem is that you MIGHT be queenless. And you might have a virgin running around in there. So you find a queen and you introduce her and IF there is a virgin in there, they kill your storebought queen. If you have another hive, a frame of open brood is better insurance.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beespanacea.htm

Candiebears · July 13, 2015, 05:59:28 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on July 13, 2015, 05:45:41 PM
The problem is that you MIGHT be queenless. And you might have a virgin running around in there. So you find a queen and you introduce her and IF there is a virgin in there, they kill your storebought queen. If you have another hive, a frame of open brood is better insurance.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beespanacea.htm

I don't have another hive... and am all out of brood. There's absolutely nothing. It's honey, pollen or an open clean cell. As long as someone is in there laying eggs at this point. I don't mind being out of the money, but I can see my population falling....

RC · July 13, 2015, 10:07:27 PM

Candiebears, you didn't do anything wrong. Except, maybe you should have checked them a little more often during the honey flow.
Most likely, the flow was so strong that the bees packed nectar in every available cell. This resulted in the queen having no room to lay eggs and she and half the hive swarmed.
Like Mr Bush said, you may have a virgin running around, or a freshly mated queen that hasn't started to lay yet. It probably wouldn't have hurt to have waited a week, to see if the bees sort it out themselves. But since you've already ordered a queen, you have no choice but to introduce her. If they need her, they'll accept her. If not, they'll do away with her.

Candiebears · July 14, 2015, 10:04:19 AM

Quote from: RC on July 13, 2015, 10:07:27 PM
Candiebears, you didn't do anything wrong. Except, maybe you should have checked them a little more often during the honey flow.
Most likely, the flow was so strong that the bees packed nectar in every available cell. This resulted in the queen having no room to lay eggs and she and half the hive swarmed.
Like Mr Bush said, you may have a virgin running around, or a freshly mated queen that hasn't started to lay yet. It probably wouldn't have hurt to have waited a week, to see if the bees sort it out themselves. But since you've already ordered a queen, you have no choice but to introduce her. If they need her, they'll accept her. If not, they'll do away with her.

Thank you! I took to the internet and of course .. it's always worst case scenario. I just don't want them to fail.. and winter is rapidly approaching.. Our winters have been more harsh then normal the past couple years. I just want to make sure they've got enough bees to support them through the winter.

I did learn one thing! Next year I'm getting another hive (with or without my hubbys approval..lol) So I have 2 in case something like this happens again.

Candiebears · July 14, 2015, 10:13:02 AM

Quote from: RC on July 13, 2015, 10:07:27 PM
Candiebears, you didn't do anything wrong. Except, maybe you should have checked them a little more often during the honey flow.
Most likely, the flow was so strong that the bees packed nectar in every available cell. This resulted in the queen having no room to lay eggs and she and half the hive swarmed.
Like Mr Bush said, you may have a virgin running around, or a freshly mated queen that hasn't started to lay yet. It probably wouldn't have hurt to have waited a week, to see if the bees sort it out themselves. But since you've already ordered a queen, you have no choice but to introduce her. If they need her, they'll accept her. If not, they'll do away with her.

I just realized.... after texting my husband what you said. I was in my kitchen and heard this loud rumbling sound (we have old single pane windows.. and can hear a fly outside)... I went out back... And heard this loud buzzing over the roof... thought I was losing my mind. Walked around the pool and over to the hive.. I kept having to tilt my ear up, towards this very large tree (that hangs above my roof) and I could only hear the noise up there. And then it went away. At first I didn't think anything of it, but now.... It makes sense

KeyLargoBees · July 14, 2015, 11:12:33 AM

If they swarmed there should be some sign of queen cells along the bottom of the frames at the very least.....did you see any at all?

Candiebears · July 14, 2015, 11:16:07 AM

Quote from: KeyLargoBees on July 14, 2015, 11:12:33 AM
If they swarmed there should be some sign of queen cells along the bottom of the frames at the very least.....did you see any at all?

3....

Kathyp · July 14, 2015, 12:47:04 PM

Make sure a new queen has room to lay.

Candiebears · July 14, 2015, 12:52:04 PM

Quote from: kathyp on July 14, 2015, 12:47:04 PM
Make sure a new queen has room to lay.

will do! I have several frames full of honey, in fact one whole box is just honey. I do have an empty deep box of just drawn comb. I think I'll be switching them!

Thank you for your help!

GSF · July 14, 2015, 09:44:21 PM

ditto on the "you didn't do nothing wrong". It's what bees do.

Is any of the q cells capped? or tore open on the sides? If so you may in fact have a little quick runny v queen in there. It's all a process of learning. I made the mistake of starting out with only one hive - but I got away with it.

Don't beat yourself up too bad. This is such an enjoyment for me.

Candiebears · July 14, 2015, 09:50:06 PM

Quote from: GSF on July 14, 2015, 09:44:21 PM
ditto on the "you didn't do nothing wrong". It's what bees do.

Is any of the q cells capped? or tore open on the sides? If so you may in fact have a little quick runny v queen in there. It's all a process of learning. I made the mistake of starting out with only one hive - but I got away with it.

Don't beat yourself up too bad. This is such an enjoyment for me.

There where 3 queen cells.. All looked untouched... Like they were brand spanking new.

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Maggiesdad · July 14, 2015, 09:53:37 PM

Plus you get an awesome brood break for mites.

You just need more hives, then you wouldn't sweat so much...

biggraham610 · July 16, 2015, 02:43:07 AM

They can rebuild for overwintering from a swarm no problem. Its production that suffers when seeking surplus. Im like MaggiesDad, the brood break is the silver lining. Did you introduce that new queen yet?

Candiebears · July 16, 2015, 11:29:09 AM

UPDATE

I got my new queen this morning. I set the queen cage near a bunch of them and they all walked over and climbed on top of the cage. They were excited to see her.... all over the cage... Me not so much.

I've never seen them so aggressive. They were head-butting me, stinging and just out for blood.. I got my first sting... So I'm officially a 'beek' lol.

I noticed the frames they had just drawn comb on this weekend were packed with honey again... any ideas on what I should ? Or just leave it. They're deep frames and not COMPLETELY filled, but I was shocked.

RC · July 16, 2015, 09:18:06 PM

Candiebears, were the bees agressive to the new queen? I if so, you may already have a queen in the hive.
Are you feeding, or still in a honey flow? If you're feeding, you may want to stop for a bit and let the bees eat some of the feed in the hive.