Author Topic: Weak hive (Read 2714 times)

Jtcmedic · « **on:** June 22, 2017, 12:30:57 pm »

OK here's the dilemma nuc added in feb new have built out five frames and started on the medium2 of 10 built, but stalled is my weakest hive of 4. the queen is laying but spotty compared to my other 3.my question is should I split this and cull the queen and let them make new in each side and have a better chance at next year? Or just cull and add a egg frame from my strong and let them fix with out splitting, thanks for help

Perry · « **Reply #1 on:** June 22, 2017, 01:03:40 pm »

I would go with your second choice myself.

Some Day · « **Reply #2 on:** June 22, 2017, 02:11:33 pm »

I would cull old queen, add frame of wet brood from strong hive and switch weak hive location to strong hive location for 10 days to boost field bees in weak hive. After 10 days I would switch back hives to original location. If after 45 days I did not see a good brood pattern in weak hive I would do a newspaper combine with my strongest hive, assuming the weak hive is healthy.

In chemistry class when discussing free electrons they are always attracted to the strongest charged molecules. The saying is "Them as has gets". I think the same holds true in the biological world of honey bees. Make the strong stronger.

Jtcmedic · « **Reply #3 on:** June 22, 2017, 04:36:56 pm »

Thanks Here is a pic of hive in question

Strong queen

Perry · « **Reply #4 on:** June 22, 2017, 05:19:49 pm »

Whenever I see a poor pattern I try and give the queen a nice "blank page" to work on. Sometimes a pattern can appear crappy, but if bees are filling emerging cells with even a drop of nectar the queen can't lay in it.
I love that second pic!

Some Day · « **Reply #5 on:** June 22, 2017, 05:23:56 pm »

I would for sure get a queen from the strong hive!

apisbees · « **Reply #6 on:** June 23, 2017, 11:32:51 pm »

The frame with the queen looks spotty the second frame is a beautiful brood patren. Sometimes the queen is laying in cells as they become empty or the queen was not able to lay in all cell due to pollen or nectar being stored in some of the cells. A new queen can also lay spotty for the first while till she gets established. I would not be culling the queen with looking at the laying patren in the 2nd photo.

vvand111 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 23, 2017, 11:52:14 pm »

the 2ed photo shows a good laying patter if I am seeing it correctly. I see that ,what I call good, pattern in my best hives.

Jtcmedic · « **Reply #8 on:** June 24, 2017, 08:20:17 am »

So I'm going to plan on going in and looking will photo, was planning taking the 10 frame , splitting to a 4 frame nuc and feed them and let them build a new queen on each side . Suggustions?

Jtcmedic · « **Reply #9 on:** June 26, 2017, 05:19:12 pm »

Ok went in today and as was mentioned believe hive has pms. Did not sugar roll due to heat here in fl. The queen was seen and picture taken after I shook the bees off. This was after I have seen a decrease in brood in hive, I initially thought the queen was at fault but some ideas from site. Check for efb no roping and don't think it's afb. Here is what I did oav and will do again 3x every 1 dose 5 days. I reduced entrance and putting on 1:1 sugar due to low numbers. Any Suggestion
Thanks

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Jtcmedic · « **Reply #10 on:** June 26, 2017, 05:21:09 pm »

Queen is trying to fight

One of the capped worker I pulled

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tedh · « **Reply #11 on:** June 26, 2017, 06:24:12 pm »

In the pic of eggs I see two eggs in one cell, this leads me to believe it's a newish queen getting her act together. I'd give her another week and maybe even two. One of our best queens (now) took three weeks to get her groove on last summer. Kind of like the milk trucks from days gone bye, incredibly slow, but they'd get there in the end. Ted

Jtcmedic · « **Reply #12 on:** June 26, 2017, 06:34:22 pm »

She was mated and placed in February

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tedh · « **Reply #13 on:** June 26, 2017, 08:26:18 pm »

Hmmmm. Interesting. Ted

tedh · « **Reply #14 on:** June 26, 2017, 08:27:28 pm »

What was her laying pattern like in February?

Jtcmedic · « **Reply #15 on:** June 26, 2017, 09:22:55 pm »

This has always been my weakest of 4 but she was laying decent but not like my others, but the frame shows every cell has a egg

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apisbees · « **Reply #16 on:** June 26, 2017, 11:01:50 pm »

On the frame that is showing an egg in every cell, in 4 DAYS THEY WILL HAVE HATCHED so I would look at the frame in 6 days to see if the bees are removing young brood. If you see empty cells that had eggson the last inspection or there are eggs in cells that you would expect to see brood then there is a issue with the mating of the queen and she needs to be replaced.

Jtcmedic · « **Reply #17 on:** June 27, 2017, 11:27:18 am »

Ok good advice will re- inspect and see

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apisbees · « **Reply #18 on:** June 27, 2017, 06:26:16 pm »

could be a queen laying diploid drones. It will be evident when you recheck the frame. if it is please take a photo of the frame and post it.
thanks

rcannon · « **Reply #19 on:** June 27, 2017, 08:34:31 pm »

There are eggs on the sides of cells and multiple eggs in cells. The nurse bees are capping the ones that are in the center and ignoring the ones that are not. I'd requeen. Quickly. It's hard to buy queens in Florida during the summer.