Just joined the forum, so hello.
This is my third year and my most unsuccessful year. Moved house last August with two colonies headed up by young queens. One locally mated in May last year (A) and one bought from a commercial bee farmer in August (B). Both over wintered and A got off to a roaring start through Feb, then failed in May. This led to laying workers. B built up slowly then also failed in May leading to queen less situation. I bought two queens locally and after splitting up the laying workers managed to get the queen accepted. She came into lay then stopped two weeks later, the workers dwindled and the hive was robbed out on Saturday by someone else's bees. B's hive must have had a virgin queen and B disappeared. The colony is now building fast but is in danger of the robbers targeting it next. I've closed up the entrance to a couple of bee spaces and can only hope for the best. I've read that it's more common for young queens to fail now. Any thoughts?
Any advice?