No Honey or nectar in hive?

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Kytrails
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No Honey or nectar in hive?

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Beginner with approximately 1 yr old hive, I obtained a swarm early last yr and introduced to 10 frame deep. Swarm appeared to be doing well, colony grew and a super was added. This spring, another super was added. A swarm was soon noticed about 75 feet from hive. I collected this hive and placed it in another 10 frame deep. Then about a week ago I opened the hive in anticipation of robbing that top supper and to my suprise it was empty with only a few workers roaming around in them. I then noticed a foul smell coming from the hive. So I recapped the hive and started reading everything I could find on internet. I have studied AFB, mites and looked at some videos and images of other diseases as well as some healthy frames. I since gained enough confidence to open hive and start pulling frames and inspecting frames and bees. I took a number of pics and plan on posting them as soon as I figure out how to reduce size of file. I fear AFB is present and plan on doing string test as soon as I get back home. I see what I think is drone capped cells and some worker capped cells that seem to be laid scantily across frame, also see eggs, larvae, and pupae. It appears to me that bees have spent all their energy nesting in the bottom brood box and then Queen moved up into 1st supper and started laying again and have done nothing yet in top (2nd) supper. Any help greatly appreciated!
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Kytrails
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Re: No Honey or nectar in hive?

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Re: No Honey or nectar in hive?

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Kytrails
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Re: No Honey or nectar in hive?

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Tried to edit title of Pic (titled: view after removing top (2nd supper) but have not figured out how yet, but the empty frames are frames of the 2nd supper which is the top box of hive. The first pic is a frame from 1st supper placed on hive last year.
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Kytrails
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Re: No Honey or nectar in hive?

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I hope all this makes sense, I was really surprised to find the frames of that 2nd supper empty last week, was expecting to find it at least 3/4 full of honey, but they still looked like they did when i added the supper about 3 months ago. Then upon further inspection there do t seem to be any honey in hive or nectar and on top of that it seems that brood pattern is scant. I appreciate any advice! One local beekeeper who is elderly and unable to look at hive suggested burning the hive, and starting over, but I do t want to head down that path until I can figure out what went wrong and how to prevent it in the future. Thanks again for reading and any help appreciated!
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Kytrails
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Re: No Honey or nectar in hive?

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Re: No Honey or nectar in hive?

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I think 1st pic at begining of post of beginning of post contains queen located in upper right of pic...just happened to see it while I was examining pic, didn’t notice it when I had fram in my hand...
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Re: No Honey or nectar in hive?

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Re: No Honey or nectar in hive?

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Trying to figure out how to post video, but in meantime, here is link to recently uploaded video on YouTube of frame with Queen cell.. https://youtu.be/khibmqRBvM4
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Kytrails
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Re: No Honey or nectar in hive?

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Here is another link to video I just uploaded to YouTube https://youtu.be/Fge6Qlr4eUM
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Kytrails
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Re: No Honey or nectar in hive?

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Anybody have any ideas what is going on with my hive?
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Re: No Honey or nectar in hive?

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Hive don’t appear to have any honey stores and I can’t figure out why...
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Countryboy
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Re: No Honey or nectar in hive?

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First off, supper is the last meal of the day. A super is a box with frames.

It would make things a lot easier to reply to if you would put all your questions and pics in one post, rather than making 50 posts.

Yes, in the one pic, what you question is uncapped honey does appear to be nectar/open honey.

I would suggest that you spend more time getting into your hive to know what is going on. (and spending more time reading and learning about bees.)

In the pic where you question if it is 2 different species of workers, one larvae does appear to be suffering from European foulbrood.

The bad odor might be EFB...or it might be a bottom board full of dead bees that you haven't cleaned out. Or a frame feeder full of water and dead, rotting bees.

I doubt you had AFB if you had a swarm from this hive this spring. Then again, did the swarm you found this spring come from this hive, or a different colony?

It does appear that you have a queen that is laying a poor pattern.

My advice would be to join a local bee club and find a mentor who can hold your hand as you get started in beekeeping.
B. Farmer Honey
Central Ohio
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Kytrails
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Re: No Honey or nectar in hive?

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Thanks for the information CB, I’ll take your advice and look for help elsewhere, hope your day gets better! God bless you!
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