Do most virgin queens get mated this time of year?

[8ace]

Having a read around can't find much in the way of statistics only that they only usually mate when the temps above 20c got 2 hives with queens in making one should have hatched today at the latest the other hive should hatch theirs next sat latest.

It is more than likely they'll mate properly or am I just hoping? What's the pass/fail rate?

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Yes. I don't know the stats but yes. Give them plenty of time so you're not in and out checking.

 

[8ace]

Plan is only to go in at least 2 weeks after hatching and checking pollen intake has gone up

 

[pargyle]

Virgin in the split from my Long Deep Hive has come into lay this week ... nearly six weeks after the split. I'd even got to the stage where I put a test frame in to see if she was really there ... contrary little cow started laying like a good 'un in the nice fresh (newly built by my other hive) beautiful white frame of free comb I'd given her with eggs and larvae in it ...and then carried on into the next two frames ... Bloody women ... you can never trust them !!

 

[8ace]

Virgin in the split from my Long Deep Hive has come into lay this week ... nearly six weeks after the split. I'd even got to the stage where I put a test frame in to see if she was really there ... contrary little cow started laying like a good 'un in the nice fresh (newly built by my other hive) beautiful white frame of free comb I'd given her with eggs and larvae in it ...and then carried on into the next two frames ... Bloody women ... you can never trust them !!

Sounds about right

 

[Tremyfro]

Wish my queen would get started...I couldn't find her today...so have added another frame with eggs.

 

[B+.]

nearly six weeks after the split. !

Its funny you should say that. I've had some queens that have taken much longer to mate this year.
I would have said that it depends on the number of drone producing colonies in the area, but, there are lots of mature colonies in my apiaries so there is no shortage of drones. I have 2 queens that have still not produced eggs a month after introduction (5 frame Langstroth nucs) which is longer than I would usually expect. I don't think its a function of the space available as I have other queens that have mated earlier in 10 frame boxes. Its probably one of those things that the queen mates when she's ready.

 

[Tremyfro]

I made the Nuc up on 7.5.15. With a queen cell. I checked a week later....queen cell empty...no others in there. Didn't see queen for some time but the hive was a quiet one so thought there was a queen in there. Eventually saw a queen and marked her after giving a test frame. Still no eggs.....still waiting so gave another test frame yesterday. The bees are busy filling the comb with honey. So if this doesn't work ...to either stimulate the existing queen or for them to make another...it will have to be a combine with the LDH ....at least it will boost their reserves. She is such a lovely long fat queen too...it would be a pity to give up on her.

 

[enrico]

Marking before mating is frowned upon by purists for future reference

 

[Tremyfro]

I think my queen had already been out to get mated when I marked her but some people mark queens before mating...so they can keep track of them.

 

[B+.]

Marking before mating is frowned upon by purists for future reference

Really?
Its the only way to maintain complete control of what you're doing in bee breeding. Mine emerge in Nicot cages in an incubator and are marked before introduction to a mating hive.

 

[8ace]

My last queen was hardly ever seen. As long as it didn't interfere with her mating I would mark her as soon as possible and at first opportunity whilst inspecting especially if it had a lower population of bees. It took me over an hour in a full hive to find her when she was well marked.

 

[B+.]

It took me over an hour in a full hive to find her when she was well marked.

Queens walk very slowly when they first emerge from their cell and don't fly. IMHO this is the best time to mark them. It does take practice though. I mark hundreds of queens per year and still get it wrong sometimes.
Recently I tried superglue (which fixes the opilath plate for life) but can smudge the numbers if you get it on the face of the plate. I even have one poor queen (number 39) who moved at the wrong time and her plate flipped upside down. She looks like she has a white spot instead of a blue one.
I have gone back to using the shellac that comes with the disks despite several suggestions for alternate glue. I think its just a matter of pick one method and stick with it. Practice makes perfect.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Virgin in the split from my Long Deep Hive has come into lay this week ... nearly six weeks after the split. I'd even got to the stage where I put a test frame in to see if she was really there ... contrary little cow started laying like a good 'un in the nice fresh (newly built by my other hive) beautiful white frame of free comb I'd given her with eggs and larvae in it ...and then carried on into the next two frames ... Bloody women ... you can never trust them !!

I have often found that adding a test frame of eggs encourages a newly mated queen to start laying. (Or it is a surreal coincidence)!

Also I was told a long time ago that a newly mated queen will not start to lay until all the previous brood has hatched out. (not 100% sure about this but could explain the long wait sometimes)

 

[B+.]

Also I was told a long time ago that a newly mated queen will not start to lay until all the previous brood has hatched out. (not 100% sure about this but could explain the long wait sometimes)

Me too.
It may be that she has had to wait for some vacant cells, particularly if the bees are back-filling emerged brood cells with fresh nectar. I think this is another good reason to have plenty of space in the brood area. The queen can walk around looking for somewhere to lay all day and not find it in smaller hives.
I use poly Langstroths. If a new colony needs more space by the end of July, I'll over-winter them in doubles. Otherwise they stay in singles.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Also I was told a long time ago that a newly mated queen will not start to lay until all the previous brood has hatched out. (not 100% sure about this but could explain the long wait sometimes)

It is a myth, absolutely untrue.

 

[YorkshireBees]

It is a myth, absolutely untrue.

Well at least that's cleared up in my mind!

 

[andyphibb]

just re queened our hives with mated buckfast that way the hive will be back up and running sooner, instead of waiting for the queen to hatch mate and start to lay.

 

[For want of a better word]

I think my queen had already been out to get mated when I marked her but some people mark queens before mating...so they can keep track of them.

Marking virgin queens with a traceable number is necessary in line breeding.

In my stock colonies that are open mated with all and sundry outside of the isolated apiary I mark queens with the year colour and clip, in Spring after they have starting to lay. Helps finding out if a new queen has taken over colony and with swarm control.... at least not all the bees vanish over the horizon! They still swarm clipped or not!

Yeghes da

 

[pargyle]

I have often found that adding a test frame of eggs encourages a newly mated queen to start laying. (Or it is a surreal coincidence)!

Wierd isn't it ... she has had plenty of empty well polished cells available for weeks then I give her an idea and some new comb and she's off like a rocket ! Coincidence ... I don't think so ? More likely she saw a bit of competition and got on with it ..