Low on Pollen

[L Daxon]

I just checked my hives thinking it would be the last check this fall.
I noticed all 3 hives seemed to be very low on pollen and I only saw larva/eggs in one of the 3 hives.

1.  Do you think the queens have already stopped laying for this season?

2.  Should i put on some pollen patties or somehow get them some pollen over the winter, or just wait until early next spring.  If this year is like last they will be out foraging for at least another month.

3.  If the two hives with no eggs/larva are queenless (one did have a significant die off last week. Pesticide?) is it too late to rectify the queenlessness?  I don't have any extra queens.  Just extra eggs.

[Hemlock]

Shooting from the hip here...

They could be queenless.  What is going on with the hives of the local beeks around you.  Ask if their queens have stopped laying.  If all theirs have plenty of brood you might have a problem.  See who has any queens left for sale.

Could those two hives have had late season swarms?  That would account for lack of brood but you'll need to find the queens still in the hives and quickly.  inspect again in a week to look for eggs or see queens.  

If one hive had a big die off what is it's population like.  Are you in a position to combine the two weaker hives?  You'll still need to find the queen or get one.

Good luck.  

P.S- i dont know if you can still make a decent queen this late in the season in your area (with those extra eggs).  If you didnt see any drone cells in the good hive i'd say it's too late to make queens.  Maybe someone around you has a queen castle they dont want to take into winter and can offer you one of those queens.

[L Daxon]

I did see a couple of drones walking on frames in two of the hives, but I doubt if they will still be around in the 3 weeks it would take to make a queen, but you never know what is out there.

I haven't seen any swarm cells to speak of in the last month or two on any of my hives so I would be surprised if they had swarmed.