[OFApiary]

Opened and fully inspected my surviving purebred Russian hive yesterday. Unseasonably warm winter in the Northeast with yesterday topping out at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Tons of honey stores, clean cells, no eggs, brood, or larvae! Massive amounts of bees coming in with pollen, likely from all the maples and willows we have around here. I think the queen was on the bottom of my quilt box, as there was a bee ball clinging there which continued to do so (I was very careful when setting the quilt box down!). Queen did great all summer/fall. I should see signs of laying, right?! I don't usually do supplemental feeding, feed honey only. But I'm thinking of adding some light sugar syrup with an entrance feeder to simulate nectar and jump-start laying? If I do this and no eggs, I'm guessing I'm queenless. I'm guessing I'm actually already queenless. Thoughts?

 

[Jack Grimshaw]

Would not hurt to call some local pkg dealers.
Many of them also bring up Qs when they pick up pkgs.
You could requeen later with a Rus Q
Would not hurt to call one of these guys either.They usually sell out early but you never know.

http://www.russianbreeder.org/members.html

 

[little_john]

I don't usually do supplemental feeding, feed honey only. But I'm thinking of adding some light sugar syrup with an entrance feeder to simulate nectar and jump-start laying?

At this stage, you've got nothing to lose by giving them a small amount of sugar syrup, as bringing-in pollen is a good sign, but no guarantee. This is exactly what I did a few days ago with a hive which didn't seem interested in getting started - but now they've got the hang of things ...
LJ

 

[Gray Goose]

Opened and fully inspected my surviving purebred Russian hive yesterday. Unseasonably warm winter in the Northeast with yesterday topping out at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Tons of honey stores, clean cells, no eggs, brood, or larvae! Massive amounts of bees coming in with pollen, likely from all the maples and willows we have around here. I think the queen was on the bottom of my quilt box, as there was a bee ball clinging there which continued to do so (I was very careful when setting the quilt box down!). Queen did great all summer/fall. I should see signs of laying, right?! I don't usually do supplemental feeding, feed honey only. But I'm thinking of adding some light sugar syrup with an entrance feeder to simulate nectar and jump-start laying? If I do this and no eggs, I'm guessing I'm queenless. I'm guessing I'm actually already queenless. Thoughts?

OFA,

Don't panic. At times Russians will wait to begin laying until they "feel like it" if you did not have the "sounds" of Queenless you are likely fine.
Normally queenless hives do not haul large amounts of pollen. Give them some time, be careful not to roll the queen looking for her several times.
Give her 2 weeks and then slowly go thru the box again.
GG

 

[OFApiary]

Thanks so much. I'm going to go ahead with the sugar syrup and check again in 2 weeks.

 

[Gray Goose]

Thanks so much. I'm going to go ahead with the sugar syrup and check again in 2 weeks.

Let us know what you see in 2 weeks.

Kindly add your location to your profile, if in Florida it may be a concern to not have eggs, if in Wisconsin, maybe not a concern, location can also offer insight to those who reply to you.

GG

 

[Gray Goose]

Got eggs