colony going backards

[disc]

Hi all
Need a little advise,this is my first full year, I have three hives 2 smiths and a warres,
One smith and the warres going great guns but the other smiths is
deff going backwards. It was a late nuc from last year, but built up quickly
and came out off winter very strong, verroa drop is min (3 in last 5 days)
This hive has gradualy reduced from 8 frames last month to useing only
6 (not just brood but stores and all).
Queen is there as eggs and larvae seen today but not many with plenty of room
to lay, I am thinking a failing queen so what are my best options.
I could change over a frame of brood from the good hive to keep them
ticking over until they supercede.
Squish queen and let them produce emergency queen but not many drones at
the moment. (still I do not like this option)
If anyone knows off any local queens let me know, but I think a little early yet.
All ideas appreciated.
Thanks
Keith

[gavin]

Hi Keith

Welcome to the forum. When you say local queens, where are you? I don't have any (yet) but know of one or two who might have some Q cells. It is a little early for mature queens, and certainly for mated mature queens.

A new queen might not be your best option anyway. For a colony to reduce at that speed and at this time of year in good weather either something is seriously wrong with it, or it is being robbed. Better to find the cause first.

Any dead bees?

Any with deformed wings? Oddly placed wings? Huge amount of chalkbrood? Is the unsealed brood healthy?

Do you have bees hovering around the entrance then darting in, rather than confidently walking up to the front door as if they owned the place (which, indeed they do)?

If none of these things apply I would still not suspect a poor queen as you say you have eggs and larvae. Maybe just one of those colonies that crashed to a small number of bees and is now trying to slowly pick up. I saw one at a beginner's apiary today and I have a few myself.

hope that helps

Gavin

[disc]

Hi Gavin
Thanks for the reply, I would say it is not robbing as activity at the entrance seems
normal although reduced,No bees with deformed wings or atleast not enough that I
have noticed, unsealed brood looked healthy but I will have another look in a
few days time after looking at the chalkbrood pics on the net but pritty sure all looked ok.
If I find nothing wrong do you think I should put on a solid floor and insert a false wall( can not think
off proper term at the moment)to conserve heat in the brood nest.
Thanks
Keith

[gavin]

Dummy board! Yes, good ideas. You could also feed especially with the reduced entrance.

Nosema might be a problem and you would not see much evidence. It could clear up as the weather improves. Whatever the reason, your colony might fix itself and come round.

[disc]

Dummmmmmmmy board, now I remember.
Forgot it is a holiday tomorrow so will go in then for another look at brood,
will take some syrup with me too.
Thanks
Keith

[disc]

Hi all
Had a good look today, at the entrance all seems fine, a lot of pollen comeing in.
Changed omf to A solid floor and the omf was very clean not one dead bee.
All the open brood looks good (nice and white), ceiled brood, the cappings look good (none sunken, no strange smells)
Never ever seen the queen with this hive, think she is not much bigger than the other bees.
Anyway added dummy board to close up the nest a little, put solid floor on and gave a little feed.
As this is my first full year and still learning I may have missed something but who knows.
Will leave like this for a couple of weeks and just monetor from entrance.
Thanks
Keith

[Adam]

If you have a small queen and the colony is not going too well and there is no other problems, then changing the queen is probably a good idea. The beauty of having more than one hive is that you can compare the performance of your hives and can rob things from the good hive to help out the other. A frame of sealed brood from the other colony could give it a real boost for example. One option for queen replacement is to remove her, after one week remove all queencells and the add a frame of brood with eggs from the other colony and they should give you (themselves) a decent queencell.

[disc]

Hi
Going in tomorrow for another look,(weather dependant) if numbers look fairly stable from a fortnight ago
then I think I will leave alone for another couple of weeks as I still have not seen any drones
flying yet but there are drone cells in other hive. (of course there will be drones from other hives if any in area)
They have been busy bringing in pollen and nectar so alls not lost yet.
Thanks
Keith

[disc]

Hi all
Never got in for a look today still to windy but was lucky enough to be there
during a orientation flight for the young bees and there seem to be plenty.
Still busy bringing in loads of pollen so still not going to rush to do any thing yet.

[Trog]

Yes, we had some youngsters doing orientation flights yesterday. The others were foraging in between showers ... and during a few of them. Thin persistent drizzle and no wind today but still bees flying. Haven't been able to inspect for a while due to wild weather and judging by the forecast won't be able to do so until at least after Thursday. That'll be past 14 days so I can guess what they're up to!

[gavin]

There were huge numbers of practicing youngsters when I arrived at mine yesterday. So many I wondered if they swarming (for a moment). One very young larva in one queen cell (which was damaged as I lifted the frame) in one colony but that was all. Next weekend might be the time when it all happens.

Mine seem happy to forage in the rain when the sycamore is out. The big leaves must shelter the flowers and the rain perhaps encourages the trees to secrete nectar.

[Pete L]

Sounds very much like a nosema problem,and if ceranae, then it does not clear up,just gets worse.