First Queen finding success

[Nordicul]

Hi All,
Today was a red letter day in my beekeeping journey, when I (finally) found and marked my first Queen

When I did spy her, she was surprisingly large and agile....I had been looking for a smaller, slow graceful mover, no wonder she had eluded me .

She and two others, yet to be found,but like her I hope, are the results of a swarm and supercedure cells. The hive and two Nucs they inhabit are all nice calm bees, one is destined to re Queen a nasty hive. So I need more Queen finding practice and success before I tackle the wicked Queen and cohort.

Today's Queen success makes up for the ongoing wasp battle.

Nordicul

 

[enrico]

Well done. Get you feel good!
E

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Well, you're ahead of me - after four years of trying.....
Specsavers perhaps?

 

[Swarm]

Happy for you, it's a great sight, eh?

 

[thedozzer]

Hi All,
Today was a red letter day in my beekeeping journey, when I (finally) found and marked my first Queen

When I did spy her, she was surprisingly large and agile....I had been looking for a smaller, slow graceful mover, no wonder she had eluded me .

She and two others, yet to be found,but like her I hope, are the results of a swarm and supercedure cells. The hive and two Nucs they inhabit are all nice calm bees, one is destined to re Queen a nasty hive. So I need more Queen finding practice and success before I tackle the wicked Queen and cohort.

Today's Queen success makes up for the ongoing wasp battle.

Nordicul

Well done,
we have found and marked our first this year, and its quite a rewarding feeling

and oddly enough it gets easer the more you do it.

 

[bobba]

Would you like to come and look at my hives?

Good job m8.

 

[Levitt53]

Well done. It is a great feeling. It took me four years but you are much more likely to find her if you know you can - if you know what I mean. Saying that I have two colonies where I just can't find her and have given up for now. Will try again in the spring when there are less bess.

 

[drex]

Once you get your eye in it gets easier, but saying that I have a few elusive queens at the mo. Confident I will get them marked before winter.

 

[Nordicul]

HAT TRICK!!!!!

Found two more, as Drex said once you get you eye in.
Hope my eye holds out till I get to depose the Queen in the vdefensive hive.

Good luck to all you other Queen hunters.

Nordicul

 

[Millet]

HAT TRICK!!!!!

Found two more, as Drex said once you get you eye in.
Hope my eye holds out till I get to depose the Queen in the vdefensive hive.

Good luck to all you other Queen hunters.

Nordicul

Well done you.. i have not been keeping bees for long but i am a hunter by nature..if i need to spot or see something it becomes a game in my head..once i am focused a mere scrub Queen is easily spotted..maybe relax and go hunting instead when you look at those frames..

 

[Murox]

If I have trouble finding the Q I just wait til spring, much easier to spot her on a 'quieter' frame, then I mark her.

 

[Angularity]

This year (my third as a beekeeper) I have gone from 'I couldn't find the queen if she was the only bee on the frame' to a queen-spotting ninja. Might be related to not buying in any more queens, which then promptly turn up their toes, and relying on the huge local mongrels.

 

[Poly Hive]

It's literally getting your eye in. Remember when you couldn't see eggs then they were pointed out to you and they are now easy.

My advice is what I have been giving for donkeys now.

Find someone with at least ten hives and persuade them to show you how to find queens. Once you have been through several colonies it will get easier and easier and that's you for life.

The problem most have is they just don't have the numbers to gain the experience, it.s honestly that simple.

If you are close to me I'd be delighted to help.

PH