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Author Topic: Hive pulling brood - problem identified  (Read 1262 times)

Offline CoolBees

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Hive pulling brood - problem identified
« on: February 06, 2020, 08:49:46 pm »
I found the problem with the hive that was pulling brood .. that we discussed in this forum: https://beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=53245.0

Here's a pic of what we were discussing there.


It was warm today, so I opened the hive for inspection. The queen is laying only drones. 3.5 frames of drones, in worker cells. I couldn't find her but i didnt look too hard. All the eggs were on the bottom of the cells in dead center, exactly as a queen should lay.

She was 1 of 2 queens that hatched right around Jan 1st of this year. I'm guessing she did not get mated.

The hive is small, dwindling in worker population, and the average worker was born around the 15th of Dec - so they are getting very old. I can't see saving this hive - by the time that the bees raised a new queen (if they could) the workers would be so old, and so few, that the hive wouldn't recover. So - I dumped them out. The workers will find new homes. Hopefully this answers the questions on this hive.

Comments and thoughts are always welcome.
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Offline jtcmedic

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Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2020, 09:17:58 pm »
Well that stinks. Shake them is a good call, use the frames for your next split and it will give them a head start

Offline Acebird

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Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2020, 09:07:22 am »
Can't make a queen if all she is doing is laying drones.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Offline Nock

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Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2020, 02:47:42 pm »
I think you did the right thing.

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2020, 11:26:51 am »
Thank you for the reassurance Gentlemen.
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2020, 01:44:26 pm »
Allen,
That is what I would have done also.
Good call.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Offline TheHoneyPump

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Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2020, 05:12:23 pm »
The right decision, perfect.
When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2020, 06:54:50 pm »
Mr. Allen, Thank you for the update.  I was very courious about your December queen.  Now we know.

Van
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2020, 10:30:54 am »
Mr. Allen, Thank you for the update.  I was very courious about your December queen.  Now we know.

Van

Just to clarify Van, one of the 2 Dec queens layed all drones, the other seems to be doing quite good - for now.
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln