First full inspection. Good and Bad.

[allotment-bee]

The temperature pulled itself up to 16 degrees today, so we have managed a good inspection of both hives.

Hive 1.
This was a small late swarm last summer. We didn`t see HM, but there is BIAS on three frames, plus stores. Lots of pollen going in and the bees were very placid.

Hive 2.
This was an early swarm last summer from friends in the Forest of Deane, very busy last year, and got a small amount of honey from them. When we opened them today there were lots of bees,no sign of HM(was marked, easily spotted), no brood, no queen cells. Bees very placid. These bees are on frames that need replacing.
My idea is to get a new queen, put her in a brood box with drawn foundation, and either shake the other bees in, or put a QX between the boxes and let the bees go up to meet their new queen.

Both hives were fed syrup over the autumn and fondant at christmas. Advise please.

 

[snelgrove]

Hive one sounds average, hive two with no brood at all this time of the year is indeed bad. Unite to hive one. Shake in front of hive.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hive one sounds average, hive two with no brood at all this time of the year is indeed bad. Unite to hive one. Shake in front of hive.

Colony is doomed otherwise, you can't be sure there's no queen in there so the best bet would be a shakeout otherwise, if you try and unite you could lose your good queen.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I agree too
Lots of shaken bees around this year I'm afraid

 

[REDWOOD]

I done shaking last year but non this year, about the best idea

 

[Swarm]

Mine were in the hive next door in a matter of minutes.