Is there something wrong with my hive?

Pests and Diseases
21

How things can change in a week :frowning:

I looked in today as I saw no bees flying and the new majesty has absconded with her crew :(. Must have only happened in the last day or 2 and there are about 5 confused bees left bringing in pollen etc that I will need to shake out.

Needless to say I am a little disappointed and bemused. I’m pretty sure they weren’t robbed, as there are no dead bees in the hive at all & the combs (though all empty) don’t look ripped.

I think I’ll have to put this one down to the new queen not liking the digs & moving on. It has been very hot the last week, and we do have a lack of flowers around so maybe she decided to find more floral pastures.

The other hives look good, although I am now paranoid they will leave too!

Not sure what I can learn from this one apart from a) plant more flowers, and b) add brood to a swarm to ensure there is a queen - these guys took so long to get going after I left them queenless for so long that they are very far behind the other hives so had less reserved in time of dearth.

Cheers, Julia

22

Hiya Jingles, sorry to hear about your colony. I had the same thing happen to me last year from a captured swarm. The wax moths got in quick and at the time I put it down to the moth however the more knowledge I absorb the more I think they went looking for greener pastures because of the lack of food sources in the area. Apart from a few doomed emerging bees the comb was totally empty.
Live 'n learn.