Finding Queens

[Glenviewbee]

I only managed to spot the queen once during our Apiary sessions for the beekeeping course at the Duchy - this was 8 weekly inspections. I never managed to spot the queen in either of my 2 nucs last year during my inspections and I am really hoping I'm going to get the chance to spot them in my colonies this year.
Apart from the redder legs another suggestion was that the workers around the queen will tend to be facing her, thereby making an inward looking ring, and this would be another 'different' thing to look for - does anyone find this helps?

 

[Bob Bee]

I only managed to spot the queen once during our Apiary sessions for the beekeeping course at the Duchy - this was 8 weekly inspections. I never managed to spot the queen in either of my 2 nucs last year during my inspections and I am really hoping I'm going to get the chance to spot them in my colonies this year.
Apart from the redder legs another suggestion was that the workers around the queen will tend to be facing her, thereby making an inward looking ring, and this would be another 'different' thing to look for - does anyone find this helps?

Glenview, get to as many local apiary meetings as you can and stand close, she's longer, paler and moves differently, these things help, but it takes time to "get your eye in" and get the mentor to point out the queen to you, watch her closely, see how she moves. The early inspections of your own colonies will have less bees than later in the season. Take your time examining each frame use some of the tricks people suggest like putting frames in pairs etc. Its not imperative at this time so relax and look at pictures of frames of bees to help you memorise what your looking for. During my first year back to beekeeping after 30 years I was hopeless, but it has comes with time.

 

[oliver90owner]

Only attended by workers if she is not scuttling around the frame trying to get away from the light!

 

[iand]

Very often not all of the Queen is visible as she pushes her way around. She can disappear under a bunch of workers, sometimes moving very slowly & forcefully, your eye will be drawn to the faster moving workers. So try to check out something very slow or not moving (maybe checking out cells). The best way to spot a Q that is only half visible, is to look at the frame on an angle. You may not see all the way to the pointy end of her long abdomen from above, but from the side angle you cannot fail to spot the extra depth of even a small part of a Queens abdomen.

Have fun, it can be both rewarding and frustrating in equal measure, if its not working close up and move on, come back later.