diagnosis please

[scaie]

Hello
I recently bought two hives, both small colonies on 2 frames. Both showed signs of dysentery but one has since recovered. The other shows very little activity and when I checked a couple of weeks ago there was more than one egg in a cell. I wondered if it was the stress of moving so left them but last week when I checked there are still about 3 eggs per cell. Larvae are a yellowish colour and the biggest larvae had a brown line down the body. I put a tray of eggs from one of my hives in in the hope they draw an emergency cell but now wondering if they have a disease? Any thoughts??

[fatshark]

Multiple eggs per cell is a sign of laying workers. Are the cells with eggs in them scattered around the frame (which I'd expect for laying workers) or clustered together in a patch in the centre of the frame (which is the pattern a queen lays in)?

2974
Laying workers.

2975
Multiple eggs.

You don't say whether the brood is drone or worker, or whether there's a queen definitely present. Any more info?

2 frame colonies with "signs of dysentery" doesn't sound like much of a bargain. At this time of the season they should be overwintered nucs as it's too early for 2019 queens (even in balmy Aberdeen), or the vendor put an imported queen together with some bees.

[Feckless Drone]

Hi there - your description of yellow larvae or a brown streak is worth following up. Here are a couple of links with images. If they look similar then send me a private message and I'll give you contact details where you can get some professional help (for free).

http://beeaware.org.au/archive-pest/european-foulbrood/#ad-image-0
https://articles.extension.org/pages/23693/european-foulbrood:-a-bacterial-disease-affecting-honey-bee-brood

Are you in the local association? If you can get a more experienced keeper to have a look then you might get some help there.

FS is spot on and a nuc for sale at this time of year should be at least 5 frames of brood and the Q showing a good pattern of laying. Should not be showing signs of stress like dysentery.

[scaie]

Multiple eggs per cell is a sign of laying workers. Are the cells with eggs in them scattered around the frame (which I'd expect for laying workers) or clustered together in a patch in the centre of the frame (which is the pattern a queen lays in
2974
Laying workers.

2975
Multiple eggs.

You don't say whether the brood is drone or worker, or whether there's a queen definitely present. Any more info?

2 frame colonies with "signs of dysentery" doesn't sound like much of a bargain. At this time of the season they should be overwintered nucs as it's too early for 2019 queens (even in balmy Aberdeen), or the vendor put an imported queen together with some bees.

The queen is there and the pattern of laying is around the sealed brood. Brood is worker.
I agree with your comments my own overwintered hives are in much better shape than these colonies. Vendor is from the association but think the bees have been neglected

[scaie]

Yes that's why I asked because I'm worried about the larvae. Their shape is normal but not colour. Not sure if there is two separate things going on one with the queen and one with the larvae or both are connected

[Adam]

My first question is why you bought two poor colonies. However being so small, are the larvae dying overnight when it's cold? They would certainly be better in small (polystyrene) nucs.

Sometimes queens will lay more than one egg to a cell if they want to get going and can't as there is not enough bees for her.