Hello everyone!
New to beekeeping. Started my first two hives a little late in the season this year, Mother's Day weekend. Started both hives from Nucs attained from Scott (Hardwood). Very healthy and happy bees. Very very calm and gentle. That makes this somewhat timid first timer. About a week after installing the hives, they were both very active and returning with bags of pollen. Then it happened!
One of the hives got attacked by bull ants! I ran out to save what I could. Tore the live apart in my shorts! The very firs time I opened the hive! Haha...so much for the fear! Well we lost A LOT of bees, but were able to get rid of the ants. The next week we did a hive inspection on both hives. The one that was attacked had low population but visible small larvae. The other hive had much more population and larvae, both small and large. Also a lot of capped brood. Closed them back up and waited another week.
Yesterday, the attacked hive had no eggs, larvae and very little capped brood. I immediately feared that we lost the queen. The bees were very calm for a colony without a queen. We took a frame full of eggs, larvae and capped brood from the stronger hive and placed it in the other in hopes for a new queen to be raised.
I look forward to learning from everyone here and appreciate any comments, advice, or suggestions any of you have