Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: gdog on July 23, 2012, 09:20:17 pm

Title: Do Queens slow down or stop laying eggs during hard times?
Post by: gdog on July 23, 2012, 09:20:17 pm
A few weeks ago I found that I had plenty of brood frames in my hives, thing seemed to be OK. During my check today I found many of the frames have hatched out very few cells containing brood. I do have more drone cells than anything.

Do queens slow or stop laying during hard times such as the drought we are having in Wisconsin?
Title: Re: Do Queens slow down or stop laying eggs during hard times?
Post by: wadehump on July 23, 2012, 09:24:50 pm
Yes they will. Did you see the queen you may have a laying worker hive or a very poorly mated queen. :-\
Title: Re: Do Queens slow down or stop laying eggs during hard times?
Post by: gdog on July 23, 2012, 09:36:00 pm
I have seen the queen in two hives the light was poor have to do it another day when the sun is out. The others I have not seen the queen and these are the ones I am worried about. Maybe do a combination with the poor hives and add them to the healthy hives?
Title: Re: Do Queens slow down or stop laying eggs during hard times?
Post by: BeeMaster2 on July 23, 2012, 09:43:15 pm
If there is no food coming in and stores are low, your queen should stop laying to conserve resources. Open brood consumes large quantities of food. If she does not stop laying, the hive may not survive a dearth.  
Jim
Title: Re: Do Queens slow down or stop laying eggs during hard times?
Post by: Finski on July 24, 2012, 12:06:04 am
Yes they will. Did you see the queen you may have a laying worker hive or a very poorly mated queen. :-\

that is not possible.
Title: Re: Do Queens slow down or stop laying eggs during hard times?
Post by: Finski on July 24, 2012, 12:15:17 am
.
When bees do not get pollen from nature, they stop larva feeding. In the shoert of protein bees eate larvae first.

You may often see eggs but no larvae.

First thing is of  course, does hive have laying worker. It is has, they have lack of proteing.

In Britain they have had a half year cold and rain. Many hives stopped brood rearing.

I have brood too much. Some hives has them in 4 boxes. Too profilic. Where is capped honey then? We have had chilly summer. As a honey year this is below average.
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