a golf ball size cluster

[beekeeperookie]

I have a question for you guys, I put a top feeder on my hive yesterday, and notice that i had a small cluster in the top corner of the hive under the hive cover.  It was a cluster the size of a golf ball.  I thought they maybe i spilled some suyrup, but there wasnt any. I then brush them away aleast three times and they went right back to the original spot.  I think there is a small queen in there they are covering up, what do you guys think.  I am going to check today and see if they are still there :?

[KONASDAD]

I had similar prob. I found a small clump of nurse bees . In the center was a queen that wing was broken as it turned out. I think the nurse bees were incapable of relinquishing their responsibilities and died w/ their master. The rest of the bees went on their own business path and superceded.

[Cindi]

Konasdad, awe, that was a sad story.  I wonder if Beekeeperrookie will find the same sort of thing going on.  Beautiful day, great life.  Cindi

[beekeeperookie]

I find out when I get home today, I hope not, I like to keep the queen

[tillie]

The only time I've seen that ball cluster was when I disturbed a swarm on my deck several times in a day and they blamed the queen, balled her and killed her.  I cried and felt like a bad beekeeper but as usual learned a lot from the situation, including how to help a queenless hive save themselves by providing frames of eggs from another hive for them to make a new queen.

Linda T in Atlanta

[beekeeperookie]

well i went out to the hive today and notice only four bees out there, apparently there is a little hole in the wood and they are getting the suyrup out of there, soo...that is a relief

[Michael Bush]

Sometimes a virgin queen returns to the wrong hive and the bees ball her.  That's what it sounds like.