Well, we'll see how this turns out... Queenless hives

[Retroguy]

I suspected something was up because it seemed like there weren't as many bees in my hives as there had been.

I never did spot my Italian queen and hadn't seen my Carniolan queen since the 2nd inspection.  Thought I was just a lousy queen spotter.  Anyhow we got a Master Beek that lived nearby to come out late last week and he confirmed my suspicions.  He'd bought a couple of nucs from the same party that I had and he said mine looked as poor as his.  He suspects that the seller isn't that experienced (yet) at getting the queens bred.  He'd heard reports form others who had purchased nucs from this party.

I've tracked down someone locally who has queens available so I ordered 2 to see if I have any luck at least getting these gals built up enough to make the winter.  My new mentor said that on the bright side I can start with drawn comb next spring if they don't make it.

Just part of the tuition we pay.

[Garden Hive]

Depending on what you have.....
You may want to think about combining them with one queen. Your work force has likely been decreasing very rapidly. Tim

[Zweefer]

Sorry to hear of your troubles... Believe me, been there done that!
Hope it works out for you.

[riverbee]

hey retro,
unfortunately this is becoming more and more common and nucs are sold with dud queens or other issues. poor and pitiful nucs. this sometimes is not about the queen, it can be about the beekeeper and his or her practices.  my personal opinion is that it is not the tuition we pay, and ought not to be.

personally, i don't purchase nucs without proven laying queens, and expect to see capped brood, larvae, eggs, honey and pollen.  many beeks who are selling nucs are getting into a bad habit of throwing bees in a nuc, and placing a queen in that they may have ordered from someone else, or produced themselves, but do not wait to see that the queen is a good queen, and maybe receive frames that are unacceptable, or little to no pollen/honey stores.

depends on how these were 'advertised' and sold to you.  how were these nucs promised to you? what were you told to expect?
if a number of nucs were not satisfactory to a number of beeks, then my guess is, the beek that sold them to you and others, it is not about the queens, it is about the practices of the beekeeper.

if i may ask, how much did you and others pay for these nucs? were they 4 frame or 5 frame?

[Retroguy]

Garden Hive:  Been thinking the same thing and for the same reason.  Don't know how long the old-timers will last.

Riverbee:  5-frame nucs, can't remember the configuration (never thought to add that to my notes) but I believe it was what one normally gets with 5 frames.  There are still some capped brood but the numbers are getting low.  Buyers paid $115.00 per nuc.

I'm giving the vendor the benefit of the doubt.  My understanding is that the family has been honey producers on a large scale and the next generation is trying to get into the breeding & selling of bees and this is a new experience for the vendor.  I think we are both on learning curves.

[tecumseh]

sounds to me like both you and your mentor have a good attitude concerning beekeeping.   often time in beekeeping you (I) just have to remind yourself of the positive aspect even when things are going south.

[Retroguy]

Well, as we used to say in the dairy farming business, "No use crying over spilled milk."  There were several capped queen cells we found during inspection.  I was a bit surprised when my mentor told me to scrape them off.  His opinion was that by the time they hatched, got mated and began laying it would be so late in our season that the hive wouldn't have time or the numbers necessary to gather winter stores.  I'm getting the mated queens and going from there.  We'll see how it goes.  When we get to the dormant season I've got a couple of ideas for over-wintering depending on how well they're set up for Winter.

[Bakersdozen]

I was a bit surprised when my mentor told me to scrape them off.  His opinion was that by the time they hatched, got mated and began laying it would be so late in our season that the hive wouldn't have time or the numbers necessary to gather winter stores.  I'm getting the mated queens and going from there. 

Retro, I would have done the same.  Some beekeepers enjoy the self sufficiency aspect of letting  a hive requeen themselves.  I would compare the loss of honey production to the cost of a new laying queen.  If it's a newly established colony, they have a lot of work to do and need a good queen to get ready for winter.  All that time spent waiting, if there are no accidents, on the queen to hatch, mate, and start laying is precious. 

[Dunkel]

I agree Baker, by the first of July any hiccups are costly. I have began some on the fourth of July weekend without pulled comb, but with only 50% getting into two deeps. I envy other areas with strong fall flows or at least constant flows.  Hard to get any wax here after the middle to last of July.