[Brenton]

Hello everyone I just completed my first hive inspection this weekend and I am not sure if I am seeing brood or pollen, in the pic you can see some larva but I dont see any capped brood like you see in the books. I have a 10 frame brood box and out of the 10 frames at least 4-5 were capped honey and the rest looked like this one. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4808939488/in/photostream/

 

[bigbore]

That, my friend, is a nice frame of stored pollen, I would say you should have 2 to 3 frames of that in your hive going into winter.

I would remove one frame of capped honey and replace it with a frame of foundation. you might be honey bound.

 

[Brenton]

Thats what I thought so I added another 10 frame box moved 2 of the honey frames up and replaced them with 2 undrawn frames below in hopes that will spur them to draw out some frames. I did that 6 days ago checked it yesterday and nothing new was done. I say it was my first hive inspection but I did a partial one 6 days ago lost my nerve after pulling 2 frames got a little nervous about crushing the queen, so I close it up and called it a day, but went back about 5 days later and did a full inspection and I think I did ok, after looking at some of the pics my daughter took I think she got a pic of the queen. So I am pretty sure their is one but after not seeing any capped brood Im not sure if I should requeen as soon as I can or wait and see if Im honey bound like you said.

 

[1toomanyhobbies]

Brenton, do you have russian bees by chance?

 

[Brenton]

No these are italian

 

[AstroBee]

Hmmm, 4-5 capped honey and the rest pollen/honey mix in a 10 frame brood box? You saw no signs of open or capped brood? Even the most resourceful queen should have some brood even in a dearth. Don't know what conditions you have locally, but I'd be slightly concerned. Can you identify capped brood if you saw it? If not, check online for some pictures. If you really have no capped brood, then I suggest that you open up the broodnest (as suggested) and keep a close eye out for eggs and open brood.

 

[Mtedcarr4]

pollen stores . my first hive did this too . there may be some Florida mutt in your italians . just give them room & time . sometime soon (Florida has a fall flow) they will make some brood out of that all at once them stock up & do it agian for spring. I know this will be a brood rooler coster but, this has been that hive of mine M.O. Just curous ,were did you get your bees?

 

[Dragonfly130]

I can't see any larvae and the open cells are mostly drone comb. If that's where the larvae are she's failed.

If it were me I'd requeen.

If you've got a queen pinch her when your new one arrives. Some queen's do shut down laying during a dearth but with that much honey and pollen in the brood nest I think she's had it and if she's that conservative(highly unlikely) with me she's a goner anyway.

You didn't say anything about the temperment. If their touchy and especially if they roar when opened they are most likely queenless.
I looked at your pic but couldn't make out if that is the queen or not.It does look like one but I can't tell for sure.

Queen is failed,failing or MIA.

There would be one exception. If they recently superceded the old queen and the new one is not laying yet. Look for hatched queen cells to determine.Judging by bee number's on the frame pictured I'd say a virgin is unlikely.

You should be able to buy a pretty good queen this time of year also as there are lot's of drones and they should be better bred than spring queens.

It looks like a good time to requeen why wait, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose in my opinion.

 

[Brenton]

The commercial beek I bought the hive from checked it last week and confirmed what you said no queen so he is going to bring me a nuc this week, so they should take off pretty good, thanks for all the helpful replies.