20 queens so far.

[Bcrazy]

I know how this is going to sound but so far this season I have managed to raise 20 queens of all different genetic makeup.
I have some real black beauties (on the small side), then i have a few big fat greyish in colour (nice docile bees.) and finally the yellow peril medium size but again very distingtive with the yeloowish upper abdomen, (good bees to handle). So all in all my heinze 99 mixture i am pleased with .
I have another two or three to raise for myself and that's it for this year.
What with the good weather mating seems to have gone extreamly well.
I must admit to a couple of failures but on the whole i'm happy with this years queens.

 

[BKF Admin]

Bcrazy have you noticed the last 2 weeks that queens are taking a few more days to get mated and start laying ?

I went through 3 hives yesterday expecting them to be mated,only found polished cells and very calm bees.

For the last 2 months they would of been mated by now.

Time of year now June has passed ?

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi Admin,
re queen mating and laying I waited for four weeks for one of the small black beauties to be mated and start laying , so this reminds me of what Poly Hive once said Let them decide when its time for mating do not bee too impatiant how very true.

I gave a talk about the queens and drones reproduction organs and the mating act. Might just tidy things up and place in the albums section.