Mark Egloff wrote
>
>     The brood is not what I would call "widely dispersed".  It is
>     in an area about 6 to 8 inches in diameter.  However within
>     that sphere the pattern is not concentric and solid but with
>     open cells scattered liberaly within the sphere.  Eggs observed
>     yesterday were standing straight up and had not leaned yet.
>     The queen was not observed.
 
>     One telling point is that the bees...how should I describe
>     it.... seem...well, lost.  They have not cleaned out a grease
>     patty placed on the hive in early August and not touched the
>     Terrapattie placed 2 weeks ago.  Opening the hive is like
>     opening the door to my 14 year old son's room.  I don't "feel"
>     a sense of order.  I feel a sense of "What do we do next?"
 
My view. A classic case of a failing Queen. Jim Amrine pointed out one of
the symptoms of PMS is scattered brood! A failing queen does not necessarily
turn into a drone layer. A poorly mated queen (unnoticed swarm or
superscedure) will exhibit these symptoms. Sometimes even the genetic make
up seems to have something missing, as if she is a few sandwiches short of a
picnic. Suggest you take your pick!! :-)
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