No brood found

[exp1200]

   I need some advice, I am a new beekeeper and I was inspecting a hive that was from a swarm that we caught in June in a building on my property. Anyway during my inspection of the deep super, I found no brood at all on any of the frames, nor could I find the queen.  I hope I did not jump the gun, but I ordered a new queen. I really want to try and save this colony.  Is there anything else I should do to insure that I give them the best chance of survival? Thanks in advance.

[Moonshae]

Had you inspected the hive previously since you hived the swarm? Is there pollen and/or nectar stored? How many frames are drawn? Are there a lot of bees, or just a handful? If they're low on nectar/honey, you should feed. If they're packed, it's possible you're honey bound and there's no room for the queen to lay. If all the frames are drawn, and they have sufficient stores, you should add a second hive body. Requeening will be fine, assuming you are actually queenless (ie, the hive is not honey bound and the queen has a place to lay, if there were one there).

[exp1200]

I had inspected 2 weeks after the catch and hive was full of bees, so much in fact that I added another medium super.  But now there aren't nearly as many bees and the frames do not have any brood and very little honey.  I have 2 other hives that I purchased from another beekeeper and they are doing very well. I hope requeeening is the right thing to do.

[Kathyp]

sounds like you  need to feed and requeen.  you many have missed the queen when you captured the swarm, or she may have been a virgin and didn't make it back to the hive after her mating flight.  you might still have time to save them, but as the weather changes, you'll probably have to reduce space.  i wouldn't worry about that yet.

if the requeening fails, you can combine what's left with another hive.

when you requeen, do not be in a hurry to release her. 

[exp1200]

Thanks for the advice, I'll let you know how it turns out.