new beekeeper/help don't know what is happening

[greenismycolor]

Today I made a through first inspection of a package of bees that I installed the last days of May.  Inspecting before but not breaking open the hive, I found drones, workers, new workers and I could see honey capped on the frames, a lot of goings and commings, but not a lot of bees.

The hive is one 10 frame deep. I found 6 frames that had at least some bees, and what looked like used cells. Honey was capped around the top and half way down the sides on 4 of the frames. The 4 frames with honey, has a little pollen and about a dozen capped drone cells on each side. There was about a dozen larva uncapped on the frame in the middle of the hive.  I saw no eggs at all. The bottom of each of the empty cells colored dark, almost black.  There are some cells that have an orange yellow color that really looks like a colored wax..very close to the bottom and the rest of the cell is empty. I did not find the queen, but I did find 4 small queen cells, one was capped, but very small maybe the size of a sewing thimble, one was open but I could see the royal jelly inside, the others were empty. I found one cell that appeared to have been capped at one time and it was filled with an orange substance, that was mushy, and grainy, but did not appear to have any bee parts inside. The queen included in this package disappeared, ie. died left not sure, but I requeened with a queen from the original place I purchased the package from.

This is my second package, my first one swarmed about 4 days after I installed it.  My other hive is thriving, it is from a swarm spring 2007, and I harvested honey from it. I have read about foulbrood, and the general problems and pest.....I did not find any dead eggs, larva, or capping that were sunken or perferated.

Help anyone.
green

[Bill W.]

I don't think you have a disease.  Sounds like they swarmed and you have a new queen.

You might give them some brood from your other hive to keep their numbers up until she starts laying.

[jason58104]

The orange stuff you are seeing is pollen that has been packed into the cells.  It is a good sign.

[greenismycolor]

Bill W and jason:

Today I did give 2 frames of brood, eggs, larva, capped cells, and a little honey and pollen as well.  I hope this gives them the boost they need.
I am new in the forum, and beekeeping, but I am happy I found this place.  Thank you both for your quick replies and advice.

[JP]

Bill W and jason:

Today I did give 2 frames of brood, eggs, larva, capped cells, and a little honey and pollen as well.  I hope this gives them the boost they need.
I am new in the forum, and beekeeping, but I am happy I found this place.  Thank you both for your quick replies and advice.

They may be able to make a queen from what you've given them if they are truly queenless, keep an eye on them, the cells with the pollen in them are what we call bee bread and is a mixture of pollen and nectar which is a food source for the young bees, adults eat honey, sometimes even brood if they are starving.


...JP

[greenismycolor]

Hey jason

There was about half as many cells with bee bread in them as capped cells in the brood frame I gave them. There was 2 complete deep frames full of capped beautiful honey. I am also feeding them. I hope this is the correct thing to do....please any advice is appreciated.

Also I noticed about a week ago at the entrance of the hive, drone bees, about 8-10 of them returning from flight. Yesterday when I added the brood frames from the other hive, I didn't see ANY drone bees, but several drone cells. Does this possibly mean that was a mating flight? I didn't see a queen yesterday, but doesn't mean one wasn't there.  If that was a mating flight, how long before I should see eggs? What do you think?

green

[JP]

Hey jason

There was about half as many cells with bee bread in them as capped cells in the brood frame I gave them. There was 2 complete deep frames full of capped beautiful honey. I am also feeding them. I hope this is the correct thing to do....please any advice is appreciated.

Also I noticed about a week ago at the entrance of the hive, drone bees, about 8-10 of them returning from flight. Yesterday when I added the brood frames from the other hive, I didn't see ANY drone bees, but several drone cells. Does this possibly mean that was a mating flight? I didn't see a queen yesterday, but doesn't mean one wasn't there.  If that was a mating flight, how long before I should see eggs? What do you think?

green

That could have been a mating flight. After the virgin comes back she'll start laying within 2 weeks.


...JP

[Michael Bush]

All the drones of "marriageable" age fly out every afternoon to cruise for queens.  This is totally unrelated to the state of the local queen.