[nicktulloh]

I installed two nucs two weeks ago. One was obviously lighter than the other but seemed ok. My first inspection (as in my first inspection) was kinda hectic and I couldn't find either queen or eggs. I put it down to inexperience and buttoned both up.

I was getting a lot of activity around the weaker hive and posted a vid here. The consensus was that it was normal.

Second inspection today. Still can't find either queen or eggs. Neither hive is drawing out new comb. The strong hive still has about the same population as it started with but the weaker one seems to be getting weaker and I think the frames are getting cleaned out.

So, my diagnosis is that the weaker hive is getting robbed to death.

My question is what to do with what's left.

Also - these appeared (today?) in front of the entrance. Any hints as to what's going on with these in mind?

http://picasaweb.google.com/ntulloh181/20100517#5472287287689253794

All in all a depressing start.

 

[Chrismcgahee]

Not sure whats going on I am a new Bee keeper but will be very interesting to see what that is on the front of the hive. Sorry i am no help but very interested in it.

 

[Ardilla]

It looks like either wax moth or hive beetle larva. Either way you should go in those hives and figure out wht you have in there...

 

[jbeshearse]

Careful with advice here. Those look like bee larva and pupa to me. Looks like you house bees are removing larva for some reason. Either lack of food or hygenic behavior. The cells extended form the background on your other pictures are drone larva that look to be laid in a worker cell. I believe these result in immature drones (sterile). Some of your other pictures show brood in various stages of development. I saw some eggs in one picture, but couldn't tell if you had any capped brood yet.

At least that is how I read your photos.

 

[nicktulloh]

Could you point me at the picture where you see eggs please?

 

[Holly]

Looks like bee larva to me. Do they have enough pollen?

 

[nicktulloh]

Looks like bee larva to me. Do they have enough pollen?

I think so. They're bringing a lot in and they have a patty up top.

 

[fish_stix]

Pic 9 of 20: the little rice grain looking thingy's in the bottom of the cells are eggs. However, you don't have enough bees in that hive to raise larva. If you don't get some bees and brood soon the hive will be history.

 

[nicktulloh]

]

I stared at that frame and couldn't see eggs. I thought what I saw in the picture was just reflections but now that I look again, I think you might be right.

So you think I should buy 3lbs and do the newspaper thing?

Thanks for looking.

 

[jbeshearse]

Reduce the entrance to one or two bees wide. Make sure to keep syrup on them (but not an entrance feeder). If they are in fact decreasing then adding bees won't cure the root cause. Just let them be for another week or so and see if there is capped worker brood. They may make it, you just can't ever tell. You would be better off getting another package, than just adding bees to a suspect hive. (not much cost difference for the extra insurance).

It looks like the larva they are pullin out are drone larva, which is a good thing with their limited resources.

Also if you only have two small nucs iright now and are having troublefinding the queen, I would recommend taking a photo of both sides of each frame as you inspect them. A lot of times you can then review the pictures and find the queen you missed while you were inspecting. This is only possible when you only have a few frames of bees to check on.