no eggs... is my queen in trouble?

[Ben Brewcat]

Checked the hive today... still TONS of stores (better part of the upper box full), pollen coming in, @ 4 frames of bees, but no eggs! Saw the queen, plenty of open comb, about 7 frames-worth in the lower box. She's a NWC installed last fall.

Is she diseased? On strike? Or just the victim of a worry-wart beek?

[sqkcrk]

No capped brood or larval stage brood either?

[Ben Brewcat]

No. Should've clarified.

[sqkcrk]

So, no eggs, larvae, uncapped pupae or capped brood. But you saw a queen. Are you sure it was a queen? If so, was it damaged? Broken leg or dented abdomen?

No eggs or capped brood. I'd say you have a failed queen and should combine these bees with another colony. Buy a nuc and ad these bees to it. Using the newspaper method. That's what I'd do.

[Michael Bush]

It is Colorado. I wouldn't panic quite yet. Are the maples blooming? Is there any natural source of pollen yet? Carnis are conservative. They won't start rearing brood in earnest until they think it's a good plan based on the availablity of forage.

[fhafer]

Have you asked local beekeeps what they are seeing in their hives? Do you only have one hive or can you compare this hive to another? Have you fed them this spring to artificially start brood rearing? Here in Virginia I'd be concerned but I'm not sure you should see brood yet in Colorado. JMO ;)

[Ben Brewcat]

It was the queen for sure (marked from Kona queens), she seemed OK from what I coul see. We're just getting elm last couple weeks and I'm not sure about maple pollen. They're bringing in pollen for sure. This is my only hive, was hoping to split! I haven't fed them, since the whole upper box is crammed. I could scratch some frames open?

[Michael Bush]

I'd wait and see. My guess is they just haven't made up their mind that it's spring yet.

[eric101]

I have one hive that made winter but she has not started laying yet. I found her and she looks good. They have brought in a lot of pollen and I have been feeding but it has been cold until this week. The hive is kind of weak with only about four frames of bees. I have three packages coming to replace my lost hives so I am not worried - I will just combine if she hasn't started laying by then but wondered if she has failed.

I don't know what kind she is except that she is black.

Any input?

Eric

[Michael Bush]

You are a lot further south than Brewcat. (and a lowlander perhaps?) I would expect brood in VA.

[eric101]

Well at least I don't need to worry about mites with this hive right now smile.gif

[Dave W]

eric101 . . .

>has not started laying yet . . .
>only about four frames of bees . . .
>I don't need to worry about mites with this hive right now . . .

No need to worry? You may be right, just let it go smile.gif

[Finman]

Sounds that you have too much room for bees. You should take extra away and resrict the room to size on bees.

If queen does not lay eggs after winter, perhaps nosema has spoiled it. It may lay eggs in spring and then it ceases.