Help!

[jeepaddict4life]

I'm a first-year beekeeper, and have a few issues/concerns at this point. I started my hive in May. About 5-6 weeks ago, I added a second hive body to the first, as it seemed crowded, and was 75-80% full. The week after that, I did not see them moving up into the upper hive body, so I re-installed the hive-top feeder (maybe not the best idea, in retrospect). A week later, they had taken all the syrup, and stored it in the hive, filling it up, with no room for eggs. I saw the queen, and a few eggs, lots of capped brood, and lots and lots of stored syrup. I removed the feeder at this point. A week after that, I saw swarm cells all over the hive (queen cells along the bottom-those are swarm cells, correct?). Still saw the original queen, eggs and a few uncapped larvae along with a bunch of capped larvae. Well, again, I went back in a week, and there's at least 1/3rd fewer bees, no queen, and no eggs (just larvae and capped queen cells). I went to the hive yesterday, and they were busily flying in and out, bringing in all kinds  of pollen. There were a few bees, however, on the ground in the front of the hive. Upon further inspection, I found them to be drones, which could not seem to fly, each of which had a few workers surrounding it. I picked up a drone to get a closer look, and was promptly stung by one of the workers. bah. I'm worried now...should I be? Any advice is welcome and appreciated! Thanks in advance! :-\

[Kathyp]

they are probably kicking out the drones for winter.

you need to figure out whether or not you have a queen and fix that problem.  then you need to evaluate your space for winter.  if you have far fewer bees, you need much less space going forward.  the queen will begin backing off laying around now.  you need to worry less about swarming.  my first frost will come mid september or so.  by the end of august, i will have reduces space on any hives that seems to have more than they need.  by october, i will have done my last inspection and will not open them until spring.

your schedule will depend on your climate, but hopefully this gives you an idea of how to proceed.

[John Schwartz]

I'm a first-year beekeeper, and have a few issues/concerns at this point. I started my hive in May. About 5-6 weeks ago, I added a second hive body to the first, as it seemed crowded, and was 75-80% full. The week after that, I did not see them moving up into the upper hive body, so I re-installed the hive-top feeder (maybe not the best idea, in retrospect).

And to add to Michelle's post... Ya, feeding is best in fall/winter to prevent starvation and then early Spring for build-up before nectar flow.

[Joelel]

I'm a first-year beekeeper, and have a few issues/concerns at this point. I started my hive in May. About 5-6 weeks ago, I added a second hive body to the first, as it seemed crowded, and was 75-80% full. The week after that, I did not see them moving up into the upper hive body, so I re-installed the hive-top feeder (maybe not the best idea, in retrospect). a week later, they had taken all the syrup, and stored it in the hive, filling it up, with no room for eggs. I saw the queen, and a few eggs, lots of capped brood, and lots and lots of stored syrup. I removed the feeder at this point. a week after that, I saw swarm cells all over the hive (queen cells along the bottom-those are swarm cells, correct?). Still saw the original queen, eggs and a few uncapped larvae along with a bunch of capped larvae. Well, again, I went back in a week, and there's at least 1/3rd fewer bees, no queen, and no eggs (just larvae and capped queen cells). I went to the hive yesterday, and they were busily flying in and out, bringing in all kinds  of pollen. There were a few bees, however, on the ground in the front of the hive. Upon further inspection, I found them to be drones, which could not seem to fly, each of which had a few workers surrounding it. I picked up a drone to get a closer look, and was promptly stung by one of the workers. bah. I'm worried now...should I be? Any advice is welcome and appreciated! Thanks in advance! :-\

It sounds like to me they swarmed with your queen and you just need to let them hatch out a new queen. I wouldn't do any splits this late in the yr. in N.Y.

[jeepaddict4life]

Ok, I checked in on them last night. I did see eggs-a-plenty (one per cell) in the frame I pulled out of the lower box! They were somewhat testy, so I didn't want to push their patience. I'm guessing that was because there was a severe thunderstorm approaching. I was thinking they may have swarmed due to the lack of a queen and the lack of 1/3rd the population, but I wasn't 100% on that. Thanks for the info! I feel much better now. They seem like they are doing well too, as they are still bringing in pollen, and I saw a bit of nectar stored away recently (uncapped).  :-D

[Joelel]

Ok, I checked in on them last night. I did see eggs-a-plenty (one per cell) in the frame I pulled out of the lower box! They were somewhat testy, so I didn't want to push their patience. I'm guessing that was because there was a severe thunderstorm approaching. I was thinking they may have swarmed due to the lack of a queen and the lack of 1/3rd the population, but I wasn't 100% on that. Thanks for the info! I feel much better now. They seem like they are doing well too, as they are still bringing in pollen, and I saw a bit of nectar stored away recently (uncapped).  :-D

Hives don't swarm without a queen. It is nature for them to swarm and start new hives but they swarm with a queen to keep the new hive going. That's why they build swarm queen cells before they swarm or when they swarm, so the hive will have a queen. Never distroy swarm cells. If you make splits,put swarm cells and brood and honey with the splits.