Somethin aint right? Advise Please.

[Benton2569]

I have three hives: #1 is an overwintered hive, #2 is new this year and #3 is a captured swarm from last week. Don't know which hive it came from.

Hive#1 is chuck full of bees and 10+ swarm cells. There is no sign of the queen or eggs only some capped larvae. Broods are packed with pollen and honey/nectar. 2 honey supers pretty full. Added a third H-super w/ foundation last week (above the brood & below the others) not an ounce of comb drawn. Hive is so strong maybe #2 swarmed?

Hive#2 started off exceptional but has slowed down. Found the queen tonight - first time in weeks. However no eggs, some capped larvae but lots of pollen & nectar in the broods - not a drop in the honey super (no queen excluder). This hive HAD eggs and uncapped larvae right befor the swarm so I suspected hive #1 to have swarmed. Very few swarm cells ever in this hive.

Hive#3 Last weeks swarm has queen, eggs, pollen nectar. Hive is small in numbers but looks good. The least of my worries. Thinking of adding brood from #1 but lack of eggs there is a concern.

The season started off great now I am concerned. No eggs, little space in broods, swarm cells, not adding honey to supers......what the hell?

[Rob-bee]

It was a little hard to understand what you were saying { I am kinda slow}:D

But if it were me I would take a super full of honey off Hive #1 and put it on Hive #2.

Then I would combine Hive #1 and Hive #3 together.

Then I would leave them alone for about 2 weeks and check again and see how things worked out.

But there are those on here who have forgotten more about beekeeping and I know. But I am just putting in my 2 cents worth.

[iddee]

I would take a two week vacation and look again. Then act on what you find at that time. I see nothing in your post that says "act now".

[Mike Gillmore]

My two cents worth...

Based on your description I would guess that Hive #1 and #2 have both recently swarmed, and you missed one of them. It may make sense to just leave them alone for a week or two and see what happens, before you start moving frames around. Just keep an eye on Hive #3 and feed them if necessary.

[Benton2569]

Hive 1 is so full of bees. With all the queen cells I wonder if they are going to swarm? The lack of eggs is also puzzeling.

Hive 2, until recently, had eggs and room in the hive. Conditions seemed perfect until now.

My thought was to take some frames of brood and honey from hive 1 and beef up by captured swarm. I would put new undrawn frames in 1 to keep them busy.

I kind of freaked out when I did not see any eggs in either of my strong hives. Especially when they were doing so good earlier in the season

[George Fergusson]

I agree with Mike, both hives likely already swarmed. Situation sounds normal. Relax.

[Mike Gillmore]

I kind of freaked out when I did not see any eggs in either of my strong hives. Especially when they were doing so good earlier in the season

This is very typical of what you will see with colonies that swarm. The queen will cut way back on laying eggs for a period prior to swarming. After the swarm has issued you might find older larvae or perhaps only capped brood remaining in the parent colony, along with mature queen cells.

Everything you are describing is completely normal. Right now your virgin queens are probably taking their mating flights and you should see eggs again in a week or so.

[Benton2569]

Excellent - thanks for reeling me back in!