Finding Drone Layers

[Spikedog]

The season has delivered a series of DLQs. Usually no difficulty identifying and dispatching them. The problem is that in two hives and a Nuc I simply have repeatedly failed to find the offenders. Threw one down and let them re-enter through QX at entrance and an internal one as well. No sign of a Q at entrance and will check internal in the morning. Am considering throwing all down and leaving to fate but it’s a big hit as two are large colonies. I have Queens to replace them when found. Can anyone advise of methods used to Id these problem (possible virgin) DL’s? PS: Can non-mated VQ's easily pass through Qx's?

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

No. (last question). Big colonies it's a problem. (Small colonies merge into a stronger colony over a QE and the corpse will show up) Narrow down using QEs into a single box then sift, would be my approach. Big problem this year. Good luck.

 

[Millet]

IkI had a scrub drone laying Queen last year and I have one this year..both could fit through the excluder ..a pain in the arse for sure..

Shake the lot into a brood box with six frames away from the original spot..leave them for one hour to bleed half of the bees back to the original spot.

Separate the six frames into three pairs and leave for five minutes..the Queen should be in the middle of them frames by the rule book NOT..

I found a scrub drone layer last year..I took my eye of her for a second and she was gone..one hour later I found her in the original hive..the little devil had flown of..

Good luck finding her..never had a virgin get through the excluder yet..touch wood.

 

[Madge]

Spikedog, are you sure they’re drone-laying queens, and not perhaps laying workers?

 

[Spikedog]

TTLTB, Millet, MCrofter .... Many thanks for your time and advice. As stated usually not a problem finding Q’s. On this occasion have sought and failed on four occasions – hard to fathom the pattern as only a very few sporadic eggs and some clusters but definitely drone. M Crofter, the awful LW’s scenario was in mind as time was passing but no signature multiple eggs in cells laying …. In any event threw them down today… two quickly went into other hives but the biggest (double brood) is camping out on the grass – for now anyway!! Again thanks.

 

[Erichalfbee]

TTLTB, Millet, MCrofter .... Many thanks for your time and advice. As stated usually not a problem finding Q’s. On this occasion have sought and failed on four occasions – hard to fathom the pattern as only a very few sporadic eggs and some clusters but definitely drone. M Crofter, the awful LW’s scenario was in mind as time was passing but no signature multiple eggs in cells laying …. In any event threw them down today… two quickly went into other hives but the biggest (double brood) is camping out on the grass – for now anyway!! Again thanks.

Don’t forget extra supers on the remaining colonies to accommodate the influx