Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Newbie with questions!  (Read 3157 times)

Offline kkalafut

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 3
Newbie with questions!
« on: April 19, 2017, 08:27:06 pm »
Hello--
   I have two top bar hives and I homed my bees on Saturday without a hitch. I have been watching my bees and over the past few days I have noticed that one of my hives has almost no traffic going in or coming out. I decided to go and check both today (5 days post introducing them to the hive). One hive is completely empty! The queen cage is empty, and no sight of any bees.

My other hive is alive and appears well. The bees are drawing comb (lots of bee chains and I can see alot of new comb), but I did not see the queen, nor did I see eggs in the comb. I did not provide foundation for the hive, so they have some work to do.

My question is 1) why did my bees leave my first hive? 2) in my second hive, should I expect to see eggs on the fourth day? I see comb, and some pollen (nothing capped) but no visible eggs or queen. Again, the queen cage was empty so I know she got out ok.

Thank you for your help!

Offline Captain776

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 236
  • Gender: Male
  • Captain
Re: Newbie with questions!
« Reply #1 on: April 19, 2017, 09:21:15 pm »
There could be many reasons one hive absconded, it is not that uncommon from what I read.
I brought home my first NUC April 7 and for the first 5 days there was little traffic of bees in and out but since day 5 or so they must have had successful orientation flights because the entrance is a very busy place sunup to sundown.
I read here that some keepers close off the hive for 48 hrs after introducing the bees to a new box.
When you opened the hive that remained.......is it quiet or loud buzzing?
If quiet, the Queen is in that hive, if it is roaring when you remove the cover, good chance no Queen.
Bought my first NUC April 7, 2016.
Like all you when you first started, I am fascinated with beginning Beekeeping and trying to learn all I can.
I retired May 2015 and have added this to my short list of hobbies.

Offline kkalafut

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 3
Re: Newbie with questions!
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2017, 09:20:31 am »
Thank you for your reply! When I opened the new hive, there was clearly buzzing, but I would not say a roar.

Do you have any idea as to when I might see eggs? That is, at what day if I don't see eggs I clearly have an issue?

Thank you!

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19832
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Newbie with questions!
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2017, 10:13:08 am »
Bees often move next door for a better queen.  If you have a screened bottom board that is open, they often abscond...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline paus

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 660
  • Gender: Male
Re: Newbie with questions!
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2017, 06:59:15 pm »
I have had several hives abscond but never from a screen BB of any kind. All that have "flew the hive" were in solid bottoms.  I believe most left from heat, I am speaking of swarms and swarm traps only in 4-6 frame nucs.  Many beeks never close the sbb or dsbb over winter.  Having said all of this, Michael do you think different climates or just the chance my experience is from smaller numbers, as I have not near the experience you have?

Offline Acebird

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8110
  • Gender: Male
  • Just do it
Re: Newbie with questions!
« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2017, 08:54:34 pm »
My question is 1) why did my bees leave my first hive?
They didn't like it.  If you got two packages form the same hive they recognized their sisters, the introduced queen was not to their liking, you angry them off with your constant intervention, or maybe there just a bunch of women that are nuts and don't use any logic.  It is something you will have to deal with.
Quote
2) in my second hive, should I expect to see eggs on the fourth day? I see comb, and some pollen (nothing capped) but no visible eggs or queen. Again, the queen cage was empty so I know she got out ok.
You know she got out.  You have no idea whether she is OK.  Go a week and try another queen.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

 

anything