bees no brood

[baldwinbees]

I ended up getting 5 hives from a farmer that a 'beekeeper' abandoned there for 4 years now.1 had 3 deeps,2 had a deep&2meds,&2 had a deep&3meds.I cleaned them up...tops that fit down to giving them a screened bottom board.They were full of adult beetles,but no larvea&the bees kept them 'holed up'.Anyways,while cleaning the brood boxes I noticed on 3 of the hives no brood.ALL the hives are running over with bees!They have nectar &had capped honey in all frames,but no brood.I don't know if maybe a swarm from the other 2 hives took over a hive which didn't over-winter.or what.Any thoughts???Oh yeah didn't find the queen in 2 of them

[mike haney]

sounds like they swarmed. wait a couple weeks and check again-takes virgins a while sometimes to start laying. keep the supers on! good luck,mike