Examining Combs- Examining Combs- What Do They Tell What Do They Tell

You?You?

Clarence H. Collison

Entomologist

Mississippi State University

Why Ever Look In The Why Ever Look In The Brood Chamber(s)?Brood Chamber(s)?

Are You One Of Those People Are You One Of Those People Who Never Go Below The Who Never Go Below The

Queen Excluder; Never Look Queen Excluder; Never Look At The Brood Nest; Assume At The Brood Nest; Assume

Everything Is Well??Everything Is Well??

Managing The Brood Nest Is Important

The Brood NestWhere the first signs of trouble in the hive can most often be found!

If you know your brood stuff!

Combs Are The Basic Structural Unit Of The Hive

Functions Of The CombFunctions Of The Comb

Reproduction Of The Colony

Storage Of Nectar And Pollen

Foundation For Establishing The Winter Cluster

Orientation Point For Communicative Dances

Adequate Supplies of Drawn Adequate Supplies of Drawn Comb Is A Limiting Factor In Comb Is A Limiting Factor In Most Beekeeping OperationsMost Beekeeping Operations

Proper Arrangement Of Proper Arrangement Of CombsCombs

Bee Space 1/4- 3/8 Inches

Burr Comb

Damaged CombsDamaged Combs

Loss Of Brood Area

Increase In Drone Brood

Increased Difficulty In Uncapping Honey

Why Examine Brood Why Examine Brood Patterns?Patterns?

Overall Condition Of The ColonyPresence Or Absence Of A QueenQuality Of A QueenAvailability of Fresh Nectar And Food StoresChecking For Bee Diseases/Varroa MitesColony StrengthInclination To SwarmPopulation Balance

QUEENLESSNESS!• How to Recognize it?

– First, Look for Lack of Eggs and/or Young Brood!

– Look for signs of laying workers!

– Look for virgin Queen!

– Listen to the sound of the bees!

– Look at Pollen!• Is there fresh pollen in the combs?

• Is the pollen old and has a glossy appearance?

Quality Of The QueenQuality Of The Queen

Cannot Determine By Queen’s Appearance

Examine The Brood Pattern

Solid Brood Pattern

Spotty Brood Pattern

Drone Layer

Laying WorkersLaying Workers

Combs Can Serve As A Combs Can Serve As A Disease ReservoirDisease Reservoir

Cappings

Color Changes In Larvae/Pupae

Scale

Mummies

American Foulbrood Scales

Check For Varroa Mites

Larvae of some sort crawling over the Comb!!!

Silk Webs in Tunnels in Combs!!!

What’s Wrong with these Bees??

When Additional When Additional Honey Supers Are Honey Supers Are

NeededNeeded

Population BalancePopulation Balance

Amount Of BroodAmount Of Brood

What Is Normal?Can There Be Too Much?Can There Be Too Little?

Egg Larva Pupa Total

Queen 3 5 ½ 7 ½ 16

Worker 3 6 12 21

Drone 3 6 ½ 14 ½ 24

Worker DevelopmentWorker Development

Eggs

Larvae 2x

Pupae 4x

How Can You Tell If How Can You Tell If The Brood Cycle Has The Brood Cycle Has

Been Broken?Been Broken?

Once A Queen Has Laid For 3 Once A Queen Has Laid For 3 Weeks Uninterrupted, The Healthy Weeks Uninterrupted, The Healthy

Hive Should Have:Hive Should Have:

Brood Of All Stages/AgesBrood Of All Stages/Ages12-15% Eggs12-15% Eggs

30-35 % Uncapped (Larvae)30-35 % Uncapped (Larvae)50-60% Capped (Pupae)50-60% Capped (Pupae)

Any Deviation From This Indicates A Break Any Deviation From This Indicates A Break In The Brood Cycle/PatternIn The Brood Cycle/Pattern

What Causes A Disruption What Causes A Disruption Of The Brood Cycle?Of The Brood Cycle?

Anything That Causes The Anything That Causes The Queen To Stop Laying Or Queen To Stop Laying Or That Destroys The BroodThat Destroys The Brood

Break In Brood Rearing CycleBreak In Brood Rearing Cycle

Pesticide Kill Or Sudden Die-Off Of Adult Workers

Death Of A Queen Lack Of Nectar Flow Or Food

StoresDiseases And Parasitic MitesWeather

What’s Wrong Here??

What Might This Situation Indicate?

Hatched Queen Cell

Scattered Pollen In Cells

EmergencyEmergencySupersedureSupersedureSwarmingSwarming

What Should You Do What Should You Do Upon Finding A Large Upon Finding A Large

Drone Population?Drone Population?

Prosperity! Prosperity! Doom!Doom!

How Many Pounds Of Honey?