Mystery hive

[fcderosa]

Just got back from a three week trade show.  I checked all my hives before I left and all seemed fine.  I was resolved to harvest when I got back.  Just got in from checking them, all seem fine except one hive.  The hive(Russians) seemed really lethargic, no honey or nectar, very and I mean very little brood, no bee bodies, no queen cells, and couldn't find a queen.  I put in a frame of brood from a strong hive.  Any suggestions?  Should I feed and attempt to resurrect or let die out this late in the season?

[Brian D. Bray]

You did the prudent and best thing possible.  My only question is: did you make sure the frame of brood contained fresh eggs (last 72 hrs) so that a queen could be reared if the hive is without one.

It sounds like the hive swarmed and the replacement queen didn't survive her mating flights.

[ctsoth]

I have read that it has been observed that to control the vorroa mite russian bees pull infected brood at a higher rate of other bees.  However, some strains start pulling brood at a higher infection level than other straints, so sometimes they start pulling after critical mass and the hive dwindles till they die.  I have -no- idea if that is the case, I just thought I would put some info out.

I have also read that russians have a strong propensity to swarm being that they are a carniolan strain...  I am sorry, there was something else that I meant to mention and I can not think of it right now for I am full of sleepiness, in any case, good luck!