# Could you take a look at this picture and....



## Kenneth Summers (Apr 9, 2012)

I checked on my top bar hive that is about 11 days old. There was 5 bars of comb, but I had trouble figuring out what I was looking at..Here is a picture, I know its not the best but can anyone tell me if the hive is doing well...I was looking to see if the queen was laying, I see some comb with dark spots in the cell but I am not sure what it is..Thanks for any info you can give me.


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## conifer (May 5, 2011)

Well, the bees are building comb and bringing in pollen (the dark spots), so those are both good signs. Based on the photo, there isn't much else that I can tell you.


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## Zonker (Mar 10, 2010)

My thought is that they wouldn't be building comb like that unless there was a queen around. I think things are good for the hive.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

There probably is a queen in there; they wouldn't be building comb very fast at all if there wasn't. Check back in a week or two and look for capped brood.


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## JYawn (Dec 6, 2011)

I would have to agree with the rest.... Good signs, but the only definite thing this picture shows is good comb development and lots of pollen being stored. If you have a chance to check again in a couple days try to move some bees off a small area around the middle of the comb and see if you spot any little eggs in the bottom of the cell. They will be very small, thin lines..... Of course if there are eggs already, which there probably is, you will be able to see some larva in the cells the next time you inspect.

Of course if you dont find either of these signs, and you dont ever spot the queen, you may want to start getting concerned.


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## Kenneth Summers (Apr 9, 2012)

Thank you all for the information I really appreciate the assistance..


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