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  • From: Just Bee <marty AT justbeenc.com>
  • To: Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: "ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org" <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Weird brood pattern?
  • Date: Sun, 31 Mar 2013 15:49:15 -0400

Thanks Randall,

I thought it ok but since there was a big swath in the center area open at one time I was hoping for confirmation she was all good. 

As to the rapid layer...yea that's true. She is going gang busters! To that point and why Carly reached out is the bees in the colony nicely placed facing east are a bit aggressive. Just walking by 8-10' away can get you a thump in the head or even a sting. 

Two points to consider and a question:

They are making brood and gathering food like there on a mission and I also noticed a 1/3 of the bees had very dark if not slick abdomens so my thinking is there might be some Russian mix going on. So with those 2 points could either or a combination of both be leading to the aggressiveness?   I recall hearing Russian stock could be more aggressive. 

I removed the bottom empty deep that had 40 or so SHB in it. Hopefully with them gone and the unused space they will get better, but I'm thinking it's time for them to have a new queen. 

Thoughts anyone? 

Marty

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 31, 2013, at 2:24 PM, Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com> wrote:

This is just a slightly assymetrical version of a bullseye brood pattern. The capped brood on the right are older, almost ready to emerge. The capped brood on the left are recently capped. You can uncap a few to confirm. What has happened is that the queen has laid in the normal concentric circle pattern, starting in the middle (or in this case, a bit left of center). The earliest-laid brood has emerged. The queen then has gone back in to the center and begun again laying in the now-empty center, creating a second wave effect. At the time of this snapshot the earliest larvae in the second wave (the most central) has been capped, the youngest encircles that (taking account of the nest being asymmetrical on the frame) and the oldest is still capped on the outermost edge.

This pattern is very common, in fact expected, in healthy rapidly-expanding colonies. Nothing is wrong, . It is a sign of a productive queen.

Randall Austin

On 3/30/2013 7:41 PM, Just Bee wrote:
5E869C81-5F1F-44DF-9AAB-7738A46BDFA3 AT justbeenc.com" type="cite">
Hey all,

I stopped by Carly's today to check on her bees. They had lots of mixed aged brood to eggs, but she has 2-3 frames with this weird pattern on it. This deep had brood of so e age on 6 frames. The shallow above had 4 frames. 

I call it the Nile, but the queen has went back in and laid in there already.

Has anyone see anything like this? 

Big brood size with some pollen but just not the normal oval shape. 

Thanks
Marty




Sent from my iPhone


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