Do these look OK?

[EmsE]

My 2 colonies are really coming along now with a few drones wondering around in the first 1 I looked in and saw several 'hatching'. The other hive had plenty of sealed drone brood too. There were a handful of uncharged queen cups in each hive that have been left.
One thing I noticed in both hives were a few drone cappings in worker cells. Is it too few to worry about my queens becoming drone layers or is it a sure sign that she's past her best? This frame did seem a bit pepper pot too unlike the others- something to look at further?

[gavin]

Hi Ems

I also have some scattered drone brood amongst the worker cells. For some reason the policing of diploid drone eggs (they usually get promptly eaten) isn't functioning as well as it sometimes does - maybe a seasonal thing? There is no need to worry about the queen and it may simply be a low frequency of same-allele fertilised eggs that gives those diploid drones. That csd gene thing we tried to correct Eric on.

The scattered empty cells. Perfectly normal if a little variable between colonies. Heater bees need a few apparently so they are not necessarily a bad thing. Also, they might indicate hygienic behaviour on the part of your bees, perhaps excavating chalk brood mummies or Varroa infested cells - so although people often think of inbreeding problems or poorly fertilised queens there are a variety of explanations.

Basically they look healthy and a few percent of missing cells is no problem at all.

cheers

Gavin

[EmsE]

Thanks Gavin,

I'll pull my scrapped plans for the year back out of the waste paper bin- panic now over:o. I had visions of my queens being replaced / superseded for the 2nd year in a row.

[Hoomin_erra]

Whilst we're talking about "is this ok?", can i hijack your thread for a bit EmsE?

Noticed yesterday that one of the colonies seems to have multiple eggs in some cells. Now. reading up, this could either be:
Laying worker - Oh god i hope not!!
Virgin Queen - Ruled out, as she has been laying since last year. Saw her 2 weeks ago.
Lack of space - Possible.

Brood on 2 frames, and bees seem very slow on building up the foundation in the rest of the box. Eggs are being layed at the bottom of the cells, not the side. No queen cells, only one test cup.

Am i right in assuming that this is purely an issue of space where the bees are not drawing out the comb fast enough for the queen? And how do i get them to do this?

[gavin]

Some of mine now have multiple eggs in cells. Certainly not laying workers, probably just a queen revving up her output as earlier generations of workers hatch and as the pollen and nectar flood in. She'll (they'll) get the hang of it.

If you have a nice organised brood nest with older brood in the centre and progressively younger stuff out the way and then pollen then honey around it then all will be well. Laying workers would be more erratic in their pattern (as well as leave eggs on walls).

Ems: your colony may well replace the queen again of course. Giving space in advance of requirements helps reduce that possibility. Some colonies seem to make queens cells every year, and as this year has started so well I think that it may well be a swarmy one.

[Hoomin_erra]

Thanks Gavin, that confirms that then. ANd yes, nice rings where brood has hatched in the middle, and then rings of capped brood, and then larvae and eggs, with honey on the outer.

Back to EmsE

[EmsE]

:)Well, since the issue of space has arisen, I'm in a bit of a quandary. I thought it would be a good idea to reduce my hives to single brood in spring for several reasons however the queen is laying so well that when I looked on Wednesday I was concerned about space for the Queen. So do I:
a) go back to the double brood adding a couple of frames at a time for them to be drawn out. Doing this would I be better using foundation to ensure worker comb is drawn?
b) Keep on a single & wait for Queen cells to be drawn & then carry out an artificial swarm & give them wired frames to draw out the comb.
C) any other option welcome!

[gavin]

b) if you want new queens soon, which I think you don't

a) if you want powerful colonies capable of getting a decent mid and late summer crop in situ then this is a good option. They may make queens cells anyway, then you can split and leave the parent colony strong. Colonies on double brood boxes are too heavy to migrate but if you were wondering about doing that you might have the chance to drop to one anyway.

Must dash ... beginners coming to the apiary in 15 min ....

.. and Thornes has run out of brood foundation! Should be a delivery in a couple of days though.