Swarm?

[Mistura Fina]

A few weeks ago my bees were busy. For the last few days, minimal. A handful of bees at the entrance. I took off the honey super today only to find an empty box. Still, there are some bees around the entrance. Is this an indication that they swarmed or can the appearance of a handful of bees still flying around indicate something else?

[Michael Bush]

Is there a queen?  Indication of pests (skunk scratch marks, SHB larvae etc.)?  Is there open brood?  Are there a lot of dead bees?  They wouldn't swarm around here this time of year.

[Mistura Fina]

I looked in the lower supers and found some activity. They came up to greet me. Not very many, but a handful. I couldn't get in to find a queen; too overbuilt. i was able to pull out the outer frames on the upper super. Both loaded with honey. No brood. No dead bees around the hive. Should I wait the winter out, and hope something happens, or do I assume they are gone and start over next spring.

[Michael Bush]

Without facts it's hard to say what is best.  How many bees are in the hive?  They are probably clustered down below and the weather is probably cool.

[Mistura Fina]

A month ago, I was looking at a hive full of bees. The honey super was crawling with them and the entrance was very active. Two days ago, only a few at the entrance, the honey super was empty. When I removed the honey super, I could look into the upper brood box, but I couldn't see into the lower box. About fifty bees at most in the upper. I doubt the lower super holds much more that that. I can't hear the normal buzz when I put my ear against the hive. I'm willing to let things be to see what happens by spring. I may build a new set of boxes and get a new pachage of bees to start a new hive. I'm afraid to start a new one in the hive I have now if it's infected with mites. I've caught a lot of yellorjackets in the traps lately.