Pre-winter inspection

[Kris^]

Yesterday was a mild day for inspecting the six hives I was most concerned about.  Four of the six are doing just fine, with good populations and putting away plenty of syrup for winter stores.  All six still had capped and uncapped brood in them, most of them 2 or more frames.  One hive, which was made of two weak hives I combined a month ago, is not doing well.  Although there is some brood in it, there aren't that may bees, there is very little syrup stored in the comb, and there is evidence of some brood disease.  I don't think I'm going to invest many more resources into this hive, and keep it segregated from the rest.  Another hive seems light on bees, but okay on stores, so I'll reserve judgment on that one.  And another hive, to my surprise, had a queen cell in it!  Unfortunately, I broke it open before I spotted it when I moved a frame.  This hive is good and strong, has brood and lots of stores in it, and I saw the queen that looked fine and healthy.  Wonder why they would raise another queen, which would have no chance of mating at this time of year?  I don't remember seeing any drones in any of the hives.

This time last year I was putting on sugar boards, wrapping and vaporizing OA.  Although I plan to trickle this year, looks like I still have some time.

Hope everyone else is looking good going into the winter!

-- Kris

[Finsky]

All six still had capped and uncapped brood in them, most of them 2 or more frames. 

One hive, which was made of two weak hives I combined a month ago, is not doing well.  Although there is some brood in it, there aren't that may bees, there is very little syrup stored in the comb, and there is evidence of some brood disease. 

If bees are not much it it better destroy and burn frames.

  Another hive seems light on bees, but okay on stores, so I'll reserve judgment on that one. 

And another hive, to my surprise, had a queen cell in it!  Unfortunately, I broke it open before I spotted it when I moved a frame.  This hive is good and strong, has brood and lots of stores in it, and I saw the queen that looked fine and healthy. 

Even if queen seems good and hive is raising a new queen , hive will make tru it's aims and you have unmated queen in spring.

If I were you, I woul take from "light bee hive" the queen and give it to strong colony.

Autumn is a time to make this kind of decisions. It is normal.
.

[Michael Bush]

>there is evidence of some brood disease

What kind of evidence?  There are many things that can cause brood problems, some more serious than others, but a common one this time of year would be from viruses from the Varroa.

Do you have a mite count?

[Kris^]

What kind of evidence? 

Dead brood, mainly.  Mostly capped brood that didn't seem to emerge.  Some of it with the cappings chewed up, and with the dead pupae sometimes removed or sometimes not.  A couple where the pupae is gooey.  Even a few where the head of the newborn bee emerged and then it just died.  Cappings don't appear sunken, and there's no smell I would consider unpleasant or foul.

Do you have a mite count?

No mite count.  I found mites in a couple other hives, and recently used Apistan in one that showed shriveled wing syndrome.  Those ones are all doing well.  Whatever it is, the sad (sick) hive isn't even taking feed.

That's the best I can describe without a picture.   :(

-- Kris

[Michael Bush]

Brood die when the nest contracts and they get left behind.  Larvae get chewed out because of mites or being chilled.

I'd do a stick test on the gooey stuff and see if it ropes.

[Brian D. Bray]

This time of year it would not be abnormal to see a little chillbrood as the bees sluster away from the edge of the brood area.  But anytime dead brood is seen it is best to investigate to ID or eliminate disease.