About laying workers

[dro]

A question that I want to hear your answer and help:
Does the bees feed the laying worker as she is their queen?

 

[gtb]

Hi dro,

I don't know the answer about feeding, but I believe that when you have reached that stage there is unlikely to be a single laying worker -- you'll have a number of laying workers together. Whether they feed themselves or whether they are fed by others I don't know.

Why do you ask?

 

[jean]

...... the laying worker as she is their queen?

Dro, is this the case? Do the bees consider her to be their queen? Do you think a laying worker is capable of developing queen pheromones?
Regards.

 

[victor meldrew]

I'm inclined to think that laying workers are the result of the colony being demoralised to the extent that the workes give up destroying eggs layed by other worker bees, (workers all have the ability to lay a few eggs which are eaten by other workers usually ). The active feeding of laying workers by other workers seems to be a none starter as One of the main stimulants for feeding queens is the queen pheromone(substance) which workers don't possess.
John Wilkinson

 

[Finman]

Laying workers are tens or hundreds in one "desparately queenles" colony.
Normally workers feed each other and maintain their sosial system.

 

[victor meldrew]

Laying workers are tens or hundreds in one "desparately queenles" colony.
Normally workers feed each other and maintain their sosial system.

Hadn't thought of that one finman but I really meant abundant feeding to stimulate egg laying ?

John Wilkinson

 

[Finman]

Victor, I am same opinion.
Worker layer is not a egg machine.

 

[Busy Bee]

If you shake the colony on the grass 30 or more metres from the site will this get rid of the laying workers. How do you re-queen a worker laying colony?

Busy Bee

 

[Finman]

.
That shaking is an old believing. New layers arise.
To give the queen:
1) put the queen walk on comb and look what happens
2) give a larva frame from another hive that colony's feelings will became normal.
3) normal procedures

 

[dro]

Thanks for the answers.
Well, on Romanian beekeeping forum a guy said that “reproduction organs start to develop because of the food given by bees” (romaniam original post “organele de reproducere atrofiate...incep sa se dezvolte datorita hranei specifice data acestor albine viitoare outoare...nu sunt lucruri inventate de mine...”and you find here: http://www.apicultor.3xforum.ro/post/202/1/Fami_ie_bezmetica/)
I did read M Bush about this subject and I did not find something so I did write for informatio.
Thanks a lot.

 

[Heather]

Think the shake and vac routine only dumps a laying queen - workers is as Finman states -

Am following his advice at the mo

 

[anwe]

I have seen laying workers who's bodies are polished and wings absent from their activities. From this and books it seems the bees give them the status of real Queens.

 

[Busy Bee]

It seems to me no one can actually answer the question. How do you make a laying worker colony QR?

Busy Bee

 

[jon]

I think it was Michael Bush who said to keep putting in a frame of eggs at weekly intervals and they will eventually sort themselves out.

 

[Busy Bee]

The problem with that method your in the lap of the gods with the weather and starting to get late in the season for virgin queens.

Busy Bee

 

[jon]

The problem with that method your in the lap of the gods with the weather and starting to get late in the season for virgin queens.

Busy Bee

We are always in the lap of the Gods re. the weather.
there is still plenty of time to get virgins mated (he said crossing his fingers)
I have 7 nucs each with a virgin queen at the moment.

 

[dro]

Did somebody work with laying worker trap out?
http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/downloads/beekeeping/QueenIntroFrame.pdf

 

[Finman]

It seems to me no one can actually answer the question. How do you make a laying worker colony QR?

Busy Bee

I answered to you, but it does not suit to you.
I have requeened so many laying worker hives that I do not know.
There is no problem in that. 45 years ago I shaked my first and last hive into grass.

Some hive takes at once the new queen and the anotjher one may resist.

The last case was that the hives resisted requeening and I joined them to the swarm.
The former case was that I gove the new queen on the comb and workers were happy.

Workers layer hive has usually very old workers and not long living. It is better put them into work for their last weeks and joining to some another hive is a good result. No need to requeen it.

 

[jon]

We are always in the lap of the Gods re. the weather.
there is still plenty of time to get virgins mated (he said crossing his fingers)
I have 7 nucs each with a virgin queen at the moment.

Three of these started to lay yesterday.
Still plenty of time to raise a queen or two.

 

[Heather]

Have just introduced 2 virgins- and weather down South is more hopeful so.....leaving them for 3 weeks- no option as 'messing about on a river'.
Probably bees best gift this year - as PH says" beekeeperitis problem" may be limited!!