no honey at all

[slacker361]

first year hive.

2 deeps.( two deep supers of bees)

two weeks ago during an inspection,I noticed that the girls were starting to fill some deep frames with honey. Now nothing, no honey whatsoever.  There are plenty of blooms around, goldenrod and other fall flowers. No storage of honey at all now. Any ideas?  However there is still a lot of brood in the hive .

[Kathyp]

they are using what they bring in.  you should consider feeding soon or they won't have stores for winter.

[iddee]

You could also try using some periods. Then we might know what you're saying. I'm not sure what you mean.

[slacker361]

thank you .  Mr Grammar Police ....................................................... :roll:

[iddee]

Not trying to be. I try to answer questions. Seriously, I couldn't pick out your sentences and didn't know what you were saying. Maybe I should just back out and not try.

[BBees]

Slacker,

I'm with Iddee on this one, like to help, but have trouble figuring out what your question is. Bottom line - the better your question the better your answer! I think your asking why you had honey 2 weeks ago and now it's gone? If so, it's probably due to a summer dearth in your area and they're hungry = feed those girls or keep wishing for a flow. I'd vote for feeding them to help them survive through winter. A club member that has his hives on a scale says they've been losing weight for about 3 weeks now, we're all counting on a goldenrod flow to fill our hives with honey for overwintering. How's your goldenrod doing?

Good luck, Steve

[slacker361]

re phrased the question and correct grammar. Please let me know if the question is still not understandable.

kathyp: thanks for understanding what I was saying

[Kathyp]

i have the (mis)fortune to be the owner of a jumbled mind.  unscrambling things is a daily task for me.  :-D

[BBees]

Good job!

Possibiities;
1) Robbed
2) Had a lot workers hatch and more honey was consumed than was brought in.
3) Lack of nectar being brought in.

Solutions;
1) Reduce entrance if a weak hive.
2) Feed, feed, feed sugar syrup.
3) Could try to switch hive positions with a hive with a lot of foragers. The additional foragers may bring in more nectar and pollen.

[iddee]

Thanks...

Along with the above mentioned, a varroa or tracheal mite infestation can cause the same thing.

If they were abnormally feisty, you may have a skunk eating the foragers, IE: guard bees at night.

[slacker361]

the bottom box was a little pissier that normal. How would you trap for a skunk?

[charmd2]

politically correct way to get rid of a skunk is to move your hive bottom board to a height of 18 inches. 

you could take a sheet of plywood and nail in a bunch of nails, set it in front of the hive and they won't walk on the nails. 

I'm sure someone will come along with a politically incorrect way to help in a minute. 

[iddee]

Either raise it as above, or go to a carpet store and ask for a tack strip. Nail it across the front of the bottom board.

Live trap or shotgun. Steel trap stinks up the neighborhood.

[Kathyp]

however...shooting the shotgun in the direction of the hive is probably not wise  :evil:

yes....we are not all PC.

[charmd2]

actually Kathy, I forgot shotgun or 22's..   

I was thinking more along the line of the egg trick...  and I'm not recommending it due to neighbor animals and unintended casualties. 

[rdy-b]

Hate it when that happens-very possible your bees swarmed and took the crop with them- was there any tell tale sighns that a swarm may have ocured -bee population is not always a indicator-RDY-B

[slacker361]

No I dont think they swarmed. Will the skunk leave scratch marks on the hive? My hive is not painted so would i see the scratch marks if it is a skunk? I use linseed oil for the hive.

[rdy-b]

scrathes -or at the least a smuch print-RDY-B

[iddee]

It depends. A skunk scratches to get the bees to come out. Then he eats them. If the hive is strong enough for them to be bearding, he doesn't have to scratch. If they come out with very little coaching, he won't leave marks.

[WhipCityBeeMan]

I catch skunks regularly with have-a-hart traps.  Never been sprayed.  Caught one today that was really friendly.  I just move them a few miles away across the river.