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Opened up my horizontal layens hive and inspected all frames for the 1st time in perhaps 2 months. This is my first go at using a horizontal layens hive and I hadn't planned on using it this year but one of my Langstroth's unexpectedly swarmed back in the spring and I captured the swarm and queen and put them in the horizontal hive. I've been feeding this hive since then. A week after the split I checked up on it and saw the queen was laying so I left them alone to, aside from feeding, to build out the foundation. I'm using natural wax foundation.
Today (8-28-20) when I did a full inspection I found hardly any capped brood just a few capped drone cells, and I noticed two or three larvae. Did not see the queen. Looks like she either stopped laying or is gone/dead. Bees were also a little aggressive. I possible noticed a supercedure cell. There's also a lot of cells filled with a black substance. Wondering if it is black pollen. I've attached a couple of pictures.
Thoughts on the best move here? If it is a supercedure queen, let it go, or is it too late in the season (USDA 6a/6b)? Buy a queen?
Cheers.
https://imgur.com/gallery/aEX0RLq
https://imgur.com/gallery/3dGGdQy
Today (8-28-20) when I did a full inspection I found hardly any capped brood just a few capped drone cells, and I noticed two or three larvae. Did not see the queen. Looks like she either stopped laying or is gone/dead. Bees were also a little aggressive. I possible noticed a supercedure cell. There's also a lot of cells filled with a black substance. Wondering if it is black pollen. I've attached a couple of pictures.
Thoughts on the best move here? If it is a supercedure queen, let it go, or is it too late in the season (USDA 6a/6b)? Buy a queen?
Cheers.
https://imgur.com/gallery/aEX0RLq
https://imgur.com/gallery/3dGGdQy