Don't Laugh, But where is my Queen

[meltonbees]

Thousands of bees the other week above the hive (about 20 foot) going round and round, the noise was amazing, then all of
a sudden they went back in, must admit it was a bit of a panic .

Anyway....

Another inspection today, I do look forward to it, but on every occasion I can not find the Queen, this is the 4th time now. I'm sure I know what to look for, but she eludes me every time. She is in there some where, plenty of eggs,

I've had these bees since May and I've tried to find the Queen 4 times now with no luck, I'm sure I know what to look for, but she eludes me every time. She is in there some where as on all occasions there are plenty of eggs, and I have even seen some little munchkins emerging from their cells, which was so good to see as ive only there are plenty of eggs and I have even seen some little munchkins emerging from their cells, which was so good to see. Also some empty queen cells.
Ive been through the usual YouTube clips, reacquainted myself with lots of pictures
But where is she?

Is it just a matter of patience ?

 

[ratcatcher]

keep looking, it's taken me around 2yrs to be able to spot the queen, up until now, I'd get my mentor around to spot and mark the queen for me, last week I spotted and mark a queen on my own, I had spotted a queen in another hive a couple of days before, but had failed to catch and mark

my mentor said a way to do it in a full hive (not that I have done it) is to remove some frames so you end up with two frames, then a gap, then two, then a gap and so on, go and have a cuppa for an hour, then have another look, and she will be on one of those pairs, unable to give you the run around so much.

look for fast moving bee, not clumps of bees

http://youtu.be/8FsFpRC0e34

 

[ijcooper]

Good advice:

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/queenfinding.html

 

[oliver90owner]

If she is laying steadily there will be, for every one unit area of eggs, two units of open brood an 4 units of closed brood. Of the eggs, there will be some laying down and some standing on end. Those on end will be the youngest. She will usually be found laying up empty polished cells near to those youngest eggs, re-using cells which were vacated by emerging workers about 3 -5 days earlier. On fewer occasions she will be in the centre of an emerged patch where bees have recently emerged.

That is all supposing she has not been spooked by smoke and hidden away somewhere. But why are you trying to find her? Far better to do your inspections quickly and efficiently rather than clumsily hunting through the frames and taking far too long about it. If there are eggs, you know she was there in the last three days; less than that, if you see eggs standing on end. You would be far more usefully engaged checking and estimating nest expansion/contraction, food stores available, laying space, etc.

 

[meltonbees]

Great well i feel more at ease now, really, ... It's nice to be able to see your Queen I suppose, I'm still new and in my first season, so, It's all a little bit exciting still, and to be honest I hope it doesn't wear off.
I did see the youtube clip but thought it was going to disturb them to much. but it's all worth knowing..
Thanks for the Info guys.

 

[Nige.Coll]

Finding the queen is a real buzz when you first start.

I have always been told " the more time you spend waving frames around looking for a queen the higher the risk of finding her on your boot "

if you can see eggs all is mainly good.

i have a hive that when smoked the Queen exits from the front took me weeks to see.

 

[Cazza]

Rab is quite right.
Don't try looking for her, just check BIAS and spend time on RAB's suggestions.
She'll turn up one day.
Cazza

 

[Davelin]

It has taken me months sometimes to find unmarked queens, but I don't look that hard. As said already if eggs evident no need to see queen.

It's always a good idea to have a queen cage in your pocket ready so when you do spot her you can catch and mark her. She will vanish in the time it takes to find one.

 

[Cazza]

It has taken me months sometimes to find unmarked queens, but I don't look that hard. As said already if eggs evident no need to see queen.

It's always a good idea to have a queen cage in your pocket ready so when you do spot her you can catch and mark her. She will vanish in the time it takes to find one.

It also pays to have a spare nuc box with you to pop the frame she was on, into. Then you can sort your pen, cage and be completely ready without needing to rush.
Cazza

 

[meltonbees]

Finding the queen is a real buzz when you first start.

Thats what it is, I was after the Buzz of finding the Queen.


All the video clips make it look so easy... ;(

 

[meltonbees]

Just to Quote David Cushman...

'Perhaps the ability to spot the queen may be described as a gift, which comes with experience in the routine handling of bees. Certainly there would appear to be an acquired "knack" to it.'

Just hope I dont have to wait TWO YEARS lol

 

[alldigging]

I have watched people I know go through a hive looking for their queen. For an hour. And they didn't see her. So I asked if they'd seen eggs. Blank looks.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Trick is I've found is not to try too hard to find her, she usually pops into view in your peripheral vision when you least expect it. If she's marked, don't try to find the red/white/pink whatever dot - just think 'queen'.
Mind you, I had a pink marked queen in one hive, easy to spot. In fact I can see her now - squashed on to a low branch of the big apple tree.

 

[meltonbees]

Well, today I had another look for her. 3 frames of the super had parts drawn out but nothing else, the upper brood box wasnt that busy and about 70% to 80% drawn, and the bottom brood box was about the same, if not less, ??
I noticed depleted number of bees, and also a lot of drones, no eggs and no Queen,'(as far as my inexperienced eyes can see)', but three to five empty queen cells.....
Help, has any one got an idea what i should do next? have i have missed the queen and shes still there, or have i got a new queen from one of the empty cells?

 

[Erichalfbee]

have i got a new queen from one of the empty cells?

Hopefully yes...that's the good news. The bad news is that your original mated queen has long gone, 6 days ago possibly, and four virgins have too, each taking bees with them. So you are left with a much depleted colony with a virgin queen waiting to mate.
They don't want to be rattling around in a two brood box hive with a super on either.

 

[meltonbees]

They don't want to be rattling around in a two brood box hive with a super on either.

So should i take a brood box and super off ?
Can i also mix the frames up ? so to take the best frames from top brood box and replace the not so good ones from below..
may phone pete little up and get one Queen ordered tonight, what do you think ?

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

It's not a lot slower to wait for yours if she's already out and about. Depends on her genes really.

 

[meltonbees]

Ok.. that's cool. But, I did really look had this time to find her, even put some aside in an empty nuc to help me, but after about an hour of having the hive open they got quite pee'd off with me to say the least.

should I wait ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have you any idea when these queens might have emerged?
It's not a great idea to be delving about in boxes if you have a mating in the offing.
I see you looked in less than a week ago so you might be OK. I'd take the super off at least.
If you are going to order a bucky you really need to find that virgin queen. Not an easy task. I'd bite the bullet and let them get on. Consolidate the frames, make sure they have enough food and leave alone for 3 weeks

 

[meltonbees]

Ok thanks Eric I'll try that, just dont wont to shell out another £200.
Must admit iI was in a bit of a panic today, better now tho' had to take a
Thanks again.