You said that was from under only one small part of the hive.  How does the rest of the hive floor look?

Honestly if I were you, I'd get sticky boards and do a mite count right now.  Where you are, I'm betting they might be at peak, though I don't know and am only guessing.  If they are, going into your winter (which I understand can be your honey flow) you need to know it so you can take action before your bees suffer.

I'm assuming you examined every frame back and front, and looked around the rest of the hive for issues?(I'm gathering there may still be some empty space in the hive to be filled yet?)

With regard to the queen, you need to find her.  Get eyes on her and make sure she's okay.

At that point you might consider whacking that queen cell (if that's what it is. It's odd looking).

I'm hoping CE or Dux will chime in.

But my first priorities would be to get a mite count, and find your queen.

If it were me I would find/catch the queen if you can, then do a cutout and mount in frames using rubber bands (but that's how I do it--there are other ways).

I would leave them all they have as far as stores.  

Dux and CE may have other advice.

@R3drid3r

I'm sorry I haven't had time to answer your question and still can't give it an in-depth answer.

you've gotten good advice here so far.

But if I could offer anything, it would be this...

Find a local bee club/association.

Even if you have to drive an hour once a month to go to the meetings, it's worth it.

Go to the bee schools anywhere within driving distance. They're cheap, top-notch education.

You will find that you "ask ten beekeepers, get eleven answers" and that's a good thing (though it might not seem so at first.)

You've got to learn all you can from everyone you can, and find your way of combining the techniques that work for you.  Beekeeping is half science, half art, and by that I mean you need to learn the science so you understand what is ridiculous old wives tales, and take the advice from good beekeepers and figure out what works for you during your first few years of beekeeping.  The early years are the most time-intensive.  

you cannot just dump bees in a box and forget about them, then come back and expect to take the honey and have them do it again next year.

It is bee KEEPING, which means you are the keeper, and responsible for their welfare.

That said...

Believe it or not, you will come to worry about that box of bugs, and hate it when you squish one of those hardworking little insects.

Beekeeping can be your meditation time, your relaxation, and your favorite hobby.

It benefits the whole world when you keep bees, and hey..you get some honey, too.  I hope you join us as a beekeeper.

That's actually great news for you as a beekeeper, because if you find a club now, and start attending the meetings (usually one evening per month) you will know a LOT by Christmas, 2018, which is when it will be time to order your bees (assuming you decide to buy packages.)  

So...hop on the ride with us.  We want to hear how it goes for you!

Okay wait.

So you bought four boxes, basically?

Were there supposed to be bees in those hives?

And can you tell us more about what you bought?

There is the possibility of disease in the boxes. That's why I'm asking.

Depending on what you bought, you might be fine.

But we would not be doing our jobs if we didn't grill you for details, and help you make sure you are good to go.

The Hive and the Honey Bee is the beekeeping bible.

It's expensive, which is why a lot of folks don't buy it.

Buy the latest version you can get.

BUT...you will use it more as a reference book to look up stuff when you have any question about anything.

It's not really a book most people "read through" if that makes sense?

The poster above who said "get both" is correct.  Read everythign you can get your hands on.

Even "Beekeeping for Dummies."

Seriously.

Read everything.

go to meetings.  Talk to people. buy a bee suit and ask if you can watch while they open their hives.

They will say yes.  Make an effort to be there when they're going to work their bees. (you know...get your butt up and  be there even if it's five in the morning.  Don't make the old beekeeper wait for you.  You will get an education from him/her you cannot get from any book. etc etc  That education...there is not enough money to pay for that.)

Here are the "new beekeeper" rules of the road:

1-Learn everything you can.  Suck it up like a sponge. Especially from old beekeepers.  Appreciate them for their years beekeeping and for what they are willing to teach you.   If they say use Elmer's wood glue, by golly use Elmer's wood glue on your first hives, especially if they're helping you build those hives.  Don't argue with those guys.  Just learn from them.

2-Don't take any of it as gospel.  Not ANY of it.  You will learn over time to separate the wheat from the chaff.

3-Believe the university research as much as you believe anything.  But normally wait about three years (two at minimum) to apply it to your apiary, and check with your more progressive beekeeping associates to see what they've done with it before you incorporate the methods.  The university apiarists do the best they can, and they have your best interests at heart, but sometimes they figure out later that something else was in play they didn't know about.  Still, their work is usually solid.

4-Beekeeping in your area is not the same as beekeeping in anybody else's area.   Know that, and don't fold to strong-minded beekeepers who try to sell you on methods if they are not from your climate zone/region.  This also extends to your yard.  No other beekeepers keep bees where you do.  No microclimate is the same as another.  BUT..bees are bees.  So you have a teeter-totter of information to process.  That's why it pays to think about things for a while before rushing in. (There are a few instances in which this is not the case. You will learn those instances.)

5-Find two or three mentors in your area.  You will always have one that is more faithful and helpful for you and who will let you go on cutouts and will let you participate while he/she works hives.  Value him/her, and appreciate it.  Learn from him.  Thank him/her profusely. But learn from all of them.  Sometimes your bee mentor will be old school and will miss some important things that we've learned in recent years through science.

Every beekeeper is an individual and every apiary is different from every other one.

Take the science from those who study.  Learn it. Absorb the art from the beekeepers who've been doing it for a long time.  Use what works for you.

Beekeeping is a little of both.

I did that for a couple of years here in Kentucky.

We had a demonstration hive (just a couple of frames in a thin body with glass on both sides) wtih a marked queen, and somebody asking the kids if they could find the queen.

We had a candlemaking table as a fundraiser, with sheets of colored wax cut into about two inch or four inch wide strips.

For 50 cents, the kids could roll a 2" candle.  For a dollar, they could roll a 4" candle.

We had to have a couple of people at the table (sometimes three) to handle the number of kids who lined up to make candles. (just the wax and a cotton wick).

We had displays with honey in all colors, and you could sign up to sell honey at that fair, and we also took the honey of other beekeepers and set it out for sale.

The interesting thing is that when the beekeeper was working the booth and talked to the people, he/she ran out of honey so fast you couldn't even see it disappear.  The other beekeepers' honey had some left to haul home.  

For the fair attendees, it was all about talking to the beekeeper, then buying his/her honey.

We had some decently involved questions, but there was always more than one of us--and it's always fine to say, "you know, I'm a new beekeeper, and I don't know the answer to that yet. But here's a brochure, and if you would like to email, I know somebody in our association would know the answer, or there are other sites listed here where you can learn more.  If you'd like us to do a demonstration or talk at your school or cub scoutor girl scout meeting, we're available...."

You get the idea.

Knowing everything is not necessary.

It looks like it MIGHT have wax moth working it.  (I just see some web, which is why I say that.)  

Check it over carefully, or freeze it to kill them or something.  You may already know that you can't store that without killing them, and two weeks is enough time for them to get going.

I got an email out of the blue from a guy offering grants to schools to setup a beekeeping project.  I forwarded it to my wife who is a teacher and they're in contact with him now.  Putting it here for anyone who is interested.  Not endorsing or anything, just an FYI.  

I'm looking for people who know teachers, principals or parents in the USA who might be interested in getting a honey bee hive at their school or non-profit organization centered around programming for kids.I have access to a few grants for 2018 that would allow for school's in the USA to start a sustainable beekeeping project on their campus. Time is critical though, so it's important to start the process right away because the funding opportunities are coming to a close soon in 2017.
http://schoolgrant.beepods.com/honey-beehive-grant-schools-usaThanks for your help!Scott OffordBeepods

Thanks for posting this!