Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
MEMBER BULLETIN BOARD => GREETINGS/TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF => Topic started by: heathnheaven on October 24, 2012, 07:56:36 am
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Hello, from Asheville Nc.. I Have been reading from this site for the last year but am finally joining in. I'm glad to be here and look forward to new friends and helpful advice. I'm am new to bee keeping.. this last may. I posted in the welcome page earlier about issues I was having.. Probly not the right place, but I'm just learning to use the site.. If anyone reads this please look at my earlier post and let me know any thing you may think. I included pics.. THANKS BEE MASTER FOR LETTING ME. Somebody repied look for eggs. There was only a few by the way.. Have a great day every one
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Welcome to the forum. I did read your other post, I have had bees for a year, not sure about your bees. I would check to see if you have a queen, if not get one or replace one if there. But then it is getting late in the season, but wouldn't think brood would be that little, just my opinion. As said I'm new also and am several miles south of you. Maybe someone with more experience will be able to help. Good luck to you and your bees, Heathnheaven.
Joe
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Welcome to the forum.
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I looked at the pictures in your first post and I would be worried about this hive making it through the winter. The queen does slow down in the winter but this time of year and your location, I would not expect her to slow down or stop as much as your pictures indicate. I also do not see very many bees and not sure if it is because you shook them off the frame for the pictures. How many hives do you have? If you have more than one, it maybe time to combine this hive with another hive so they can survive the winter and then you can split them again in the spring. If this is your only hive and there aren't alot more bees that were not captured in the photos, I don't think I would try to requeen (if you can find one) this hive because of the lack of worker bees.
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I only have one hive and I did not shake off the bees for the pics. The outter frames are the ones with very few bees. The center 4 frames are well covered up with bees on both sides. Well I decided to go ahead and order a new package of bees and start a new hive. I could not find a queen when I did a thoughough inspection while taking these pics. Also just to note, the bottom brood boxwas very light. I could lift it with one finger. I will care for these little guys through the winter.. supplement with some pollen patties and hope for the best. I would not have thought that the queen would have stopped laying this much either. I did see queen cells just prior to this big drop in egg laying. I didn't know if I should remove them. before I could figure it out it was too late. Could I requeen now as a shot in the dark? in about 4 weeks i won't be able to open the hive. Too cold. Do you have any comments as far as the shape of combes that they have created and the random large combes that they built at the bottom of the combes.. Is it just bridge comb.
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Sounds as if they swarmed (late) on ya. You may have a virgin. I would leave them be for a couple of weeks and see.
Scott