hive swarmed update

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Can you be sure they won't have swarmed with these virgin queens?

one cast gone - remaining colony waiting for the next queen to em- ah! err.........

 

[irishguy]

Can you be sure they won't have swarmed with these virgin queens?

I can only do what I'm advised to. I was told to cull them all after 6pm. I also phoned the Secretary of the asocation and he told me to cull them to. Would you have done it differently?

 

[irishguy]

Is there much difference look wise between a queen and a virgin queen?

I was also told to feed the 2 hives that came from the main hive. One has 3 frames and the other has 5. They had 4 inch xtratherm insulation inside the hive but I've removed insulation from one and added rest of frames with foundation because the bees have been filling out the frames quicker than the other hive. I'm wondering when's it time to stop feeding them.

I also looked in the small nuc box, marked queen still there and bees are starting to draw out the frames. I have them on a small feeder with1-1 feed. When will I inspect them next and will I keep feeding

 

[BeeJayBee]

I can only do what I'm advised to. I was told to cull them all after 6pm. I also phoned the Secretary of the asocation and he told me to cull them to. Would you have done it differently?

I wouldn't rush off to do something I'm told on the internet unless I'm absolutely sure it's the right thing to do for my bees, nor would I act instantly on something I'm told over the phone unless that person has seen my bees for themselves - one person's description doesn't always match what another person thinks is being said.

I can't say what I would have done, because it's hard to work out exactly what you've done from your first post, but it looks as if you've got an older queen in a nuc as well as two other colonies/hives you expect to raise new queens. You've seen open queen cells and have assumed the newly emerged queens are still there, although you haven't seen them, so have removed all existing queen cells and let somebody else take them away. It might be worth making sure at least one of those new queens is kept safe in case you need her.

Is there much difference look wise between a queen and a virgin queen?

Yes, in some cases a newly emerged virgin queen will be only slightly larger than a worker.

When was the last time an experienced beekeeper looked through your hives with you?

 

[irishguy]

I wouldn't rush off to do something I'm told on the internet unless I'm absolutely sure it's the right thing to do for my bees, nor would I act instantly on something I'm told over the phone unless that person has seen my bees for themselves - one person's description doesn't always match what another person thinks is being said.

I can't say what I would have done, because it's hard to work out exactly what you've done from your first post, but it looks as if you've got an older queen in a nuc as well as two other colonies/hives you expect to raise new queens. You've seen open queen cells and have assumed the newly emerged queens are still there, although you haven't seen them, so have removed all existing queen cells and let somebody else take them away. It might be worth making sure at least one of those new queens is kept safe in case you need her.


Yes, in some cases a newly emerged virgin queen will be only slightly larger than a worker.

When was the last time an experienced beekeeper looked through your hives with you?

Your correct on what hives/nuc I have. When is it I will know that there will be queens in the hives. Queen cell hatched between 5-6 days ago. The guy who helped me today and last sunday has been beekeeping 5 years him and his wife. I'm hoping my queens are still there, if not then hope them other queens hatch for me.

 

[Teemore]

You will only know there is a queen in your hive when (a) you see one and/or (b) you see eggs, larvae and sealed worker brood in your hive. Eggs on their own are not confirmation that you have a queen in the hive as hives can develop laying workers.
At this stage you need to leave the hives alone for a couple of weeks to allow emerged queens (if they are there) to get mated and start laying. If a queen emerged 5-6 days ago, she may be starting mating flights and so the hive should not be disturbed. Sometimes you need to take a step back and let the bees get on with things.

 

[irishguy]

You will only know there is a queen in your hive when (a) you see one and/or (b) you see eggs, larvae and sealed worker brood in your hive. Eggs on their own are not confirmation that you have a queen in the hive as hives can develop laying workers.
At this stage you need to leave the hives alone for a couple of weeks to allow emerged queens (if they are there) to get mated and start laying. If a queen emerged 5-6 days ago, she may be starting mating flights and so the hive should not be disturbed. Sometimes you need to take a step back and let the bees get on with things.

If I leave for a few weeks, more queen eggs might appear and hatch and with that, takes my bees away in a cast. Can I not just check weekly ?

 

[meidel]

If I leave for a few weeks, more queen eggs might appear and hatch and with that, takes my bees away in a cast. Can I not just check weekly ?

they shouldn't make queen cells if there are no more eggs or young larvae, it's usually safe to leave them to it 9 or 10 days after the old mated queen has left, having checked before then that the last remaining queen cells bar the one you left in the hive have been removed.

Where you've got a virgin queen in the hive and you've removed all the queen cells (or in your case they've been taken away for you) if there weren't young larvae then, you should leave the hive alone for up to 3 weeks when you would hope to see eggs and larvae and possibly even capped brood.

 

[irishguy]

they shouldn't make queen cells if there are no more eggs or young larvae, it's usually safe to leave them to it 9 or 10 days after the old mated queen has left, having checked before then that the last remaining queen cells bar the one you left in the hive have been removed.

Where you've got a virgin queen in the hive and you've removed all the queen cells (or in your case they've been taken away for you) if there weren't young larvae then, you should leave the hive alone for up to 3 weeks when you would hope to see eggs and larvae and possibly even capped brood.

In one hive, there's still larva because queen only left last Sunday about 2 o'clock.

 

[meidel]

did you mean yesterday at 2pm? If I were you I'd check them sharpish and if there are eggs I'd look at least twice more in 4 day intervals, after which I'd leave just one queen cell alone.

Repeatedly going into the apiary whilst other virgin queens are out on mating flights can disorientate them that they don't return to the right hives. So if I had to do any inspections I'd probably do them in the early morning rather than afternoon.

 

[irishguy]

did you mean yesterday at 2pm? If I were you I'd check them sharpish and if there are eggs I'd look at least twice more in 4 day intervals, after which I'd leave just one queen cell alone.

Repeatedly going into the apiary whilst other virgin queens are out on mating flights can disorientate them that they don't return to the right hives. So if I had to do any inspections I'd probably do them in the early morning rather than afternoon.

No, 8 days ago. I was thinking of checking again next Mon for cells then leave it. When you say its best to check in morning, why did the other guy say check after 6pm

 

[meidel]

morning or 6 pm is ok. the window for virgins mating is those few hours when it's warmest - anything upwards of 18C.

Well, if it was 8 days ago you only need do one last check for queen cells - these are most likely capped now - 8/9 days from egg to capped cells, whatever type of larvae.

 

[meidel]

I'd check today rather than next Monday as it may be too late - queens emerge in 16 days and you may lose a cast.

 

[irishguy]

I'd check today rather than next Monday as it may be too late - queens emerge in 16 days and you may lose a cast.

Meidel, I checked yesterday and cut out all queen cells. Did you not read OP ?

 

[meidel]

Meidel, I checked yesterday and cut out all queen cells. Did you not read OP ?

sorry irishguy, my reading is kind of haphazard - i only read the last page :blush: - you're probably alright to leave them alone now as there won't be larvae young enough for them to raise queen cells.

 

[Teemore]

If I leave for a few weeks, more queen eggs might appear and hatch and with that, takes my bees away in a cast. Can I not just check weekly ?

If there is no laying queen in the hive at present, there will be no eggs. From previous posts, you have to hope that a virgin queen did not leave the hive in a cast and that she will shortly get mated and start to lay. Only when there are fertilised eggs in the hive will the bees be in a position to raise more new queens.

If you end up with laying workers, the only thing they will raise will be drones.