[ladwigbees]

Hey y'all, a newer beekeeper here.

I started with two hive this spring and they are doing great! I've been checking them pretty often and they seemed to be building out comb at the same pace this whole time.

I noticed the other day that there were a bunch(maybe a hundred or so on the outside of the super so I knew they were ready for an additional super. That queen has been laying a lot of eggs and producing a lot of bees.
The other box has all the comb built out but not nearly as many bees and they don't seem to be laying eggs but storing honey.

I'm just looking for answers to why the two hives have two different approaches. I want them to do what they want, I'm not looking to change what they're doing, just want to know why.

thanks for your time!


-John

 

[Chemguy]

John,

One possible explanation is that the hive that is storing honey has gone queenless, or that she has quit laying. Are there eggs, larvae or brood in that hive? Is there a queen?

 

[ladwigbees]

Thanks Pete,

There is capped larvae and a queen.

 

[d20636]

Sounds like you have one queen that's laying well and one not so good (or for those that don't want to insult their queens - one that lays well and one that lays REALLY REALLY REALLY well).

I noticed the other day that there were a bunch(maybe a hundred or so on the outside of the super so I knew they were ready for an additional super.

An old beek at the gardens on Ft Jackson where my hives are thinks the same way... Sees a few hundred hanging on the outside and slaps a new super on top. He was going to do it again and I said "let me check that top super" - the girls had not drawn ONE CELL out on the last super, but he was prepared to toss another on top because "there were a bunch hanging on the outside". Of course here it's mid-90's - looks like you guys are baking in the upper 70's