Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: CoolBees on February 06, 2020, 08:49:46 pm

Title: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
Post by: CoolBees 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.

Title: Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
Post by: jtcmedic 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

Title: Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
Post by: Acebird on February 11, 2020, 09:07:22 am

Can't make a queen if all she is doing is laying drones.

Title: Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
Post by: Nock on February 11, 2020, 02:47:42 pm

I think you did the right thing.

Title: Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
Post by: CoolBees on February 12, 2020, 11:26:51 am

Thank you for the reassurance Gentlemen.

Title: Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
Post by: BeeMaster2 on February 12, 2020, 01:44:26 pm

Allen,
That is what I would have done also.
Good call.
Jim Altmiller

Title: Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
Post by: TheHoneyPump on February 12, 2020, 05:12:23 pm

The right decision, perfect.

Title: Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
Post by: van from Arkansas 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

Title: Re: Hive pulling brood - problem identified
Post by: CoolBees on February 13, 2020, 10:30:54 am

Quote from: van from Arkansas 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

Just to clarify Van, one of the 2 Dec queens layed all drones, the other seems to be doing quite good - for now.