I may have issues

[LEAD PIPE]

I for the past few days my hive has been looking very weak. It used to have so many bees shooting out of the entrance you couldn’t even count them. Now it looks similar to when I hived them in the spring, 1 every 3 seconds or so. I have left the hive alone for 3 weeks, last time I checked it had so many bees it was scary. I want to make sure I have a queen. My problem now is I have 3 deeps and she is "probably" in the first one. How do look through this hive without flipping out these bees? I could take off the 2 top deeps and check the bottom and work my way up? Should I?

[BULLSEYE BILL]

I'd pull the middle frame or two and check for brood and eggs. If none in the top box, look in the next and so on. You don't need to see the queen, just her work.

While you are at it, you can look for other things too. Number of bees, brood pattern, honey stores, pollen, disease, etc.

[LEAD PIPE]

okay, hopefully I will see some eggs quick.

[George Fergusson]

It sounds like your hive may have swarmed. A hive in 3 deeps and full of bees is a ripe candidate for swarming. Keep an eye out for swarm cells on or near the bottoms of the frames.

And like Bullseye said, look for eggs. If they swarmed, there will be a period of a couple of weeks or so before the new queen starts laying when you won't find any- brood yes, but no fresh eggs.

George-

[Michael Bush]

If you have another hive, put in a frame of open brood and eggs so they can raise a queen if they need one. If they swarmed then the new queen should start to lay within two weeks.

[dickm]

This is called a dearth. It may be finishing about now. That may be your problem. Queenless hives don't work. A recently swarmed hive won't have a queen for awhile.

Dickm

[Cyndi]

Could someone please explain that term dearth in details please? I think I have something similar, its been 4 weeks since I checked my hive due to sourwood flow and didn't want to disturb it, but I don't really think they've swarmed as there is activity going on, just not as much. Thanks a bunch.

[drobbins]

Cyndi
have you seen this link to the state beekeepers org

http://www.ncbeekeepers.org/

lotta good stuff there
here's a link to what's blooming in different areas now

http://www.ncbeekeepers.org/plants.htm

dig around that site, lot's of stuff that pertains to our area

Dave

[iddee]

The grocery store is closed and you can't get anything to eat. That is a dearth.

"No honey flowers blooming"

[Cyndi]

Thanks for the clarification on that. I think I knew that, I will check out that site drobbins.

[LEAD PIPE]

Checked today, I took the first deep off. This hive if full of bees, scary full. I started checking the 2nd deep and every frame was packed. I pulled a few frames and bees were buzzing me like crazy. I got scared and stopped after 3 frames. I never should have watched that show on AHB. That scene where they all come boiling out is stuck in y mind. I did see some capped brood in the hive. I can't believe with so many bees there are so few going out. Maybe tomorrow I will take the 2 deeps off and put them to the side and just check the bottom.

[Cyndi]

Wow, this is interesting. I bet I have exactly the same thing going on. My bees were busier today. We have had so much on and off rain that it is so hard for me to want to fool with them because I know they need to me to be out of their way!! They looked very content flying in and out, more than usual and today was a normal hotter/dryer day. I think I'll get brave this weekend and sneak a peak too! Keep us updated Lead Pipe, your inspiring and motivating me to do the dreaded thing:~)

[dickm]

Take the 2 deeps off quickly without looking at them and set them down. Re smoke and get to the bottom one. Take a side frame out for room to move and go straight to one of the middle ones. If you see brood (hopefully young brood) slap the thing together. A lot of people would like to ahve your problems. You sound like you need a spare super on in case there is a good fall flow.

Dickm

[LEAD PIPE]

Thanks dickm, I will give it a shot. Hot and humid here today I will shoot for tomorrow. With so many bees in the hive is it possible that the queen will stop laying?

[Michael Bush]

If you have that many bees, why not throw on some more supers and worry about it later?

[LEAD PIPE]

Their all in the hive. Very few are flying.

Could they be scout bees and the others are just waiting for the green light?

[tony350i]

I think you could be wright, as there is so many bees it might be a good time to split them