How does she look?

[Blue Spinnaker]

Well there's Beatrice, Bernadette, Beyonce, Bella ..... nooo, not really!

 

[kazmcc]

Hi Kaz, just got back from checking my nuc that had a unemerged (is that a word!) queen in yesterday, and today she's emerged and the bees are taking down the emergency qcs they made. I spotted her and she looks a similar size to your queen. I think they get plumper after mating when they get into the full swing of laying. I'm going to leave alone now for 10 days or so to allow her to mate. Watch out for the workers hanging around the entrance sort of loitering when they want her to go on a flight and to encourage her back. My last nuc did this for 2-3 days and then they started coming and going more normally. 3 days later bingo eggs! and the weather hadnt been that good either!

That's amazing. I don't know if it gets any less exciting lol, but I will definitely look out for those signs. I don't know why, but I'm pretty good at spotting certain behaviour, it must be my previous phobia makes me more sensitive to them. I'm praying now for a spell of good weather. Thank you for letting me know how they are expected to behave. This is all stuff I am keen to learn

Good luck, lets have a small queen mating race lol

 

[kazmcc]

I just love your enthusiasm!!!

Thank you

Fascinating little beggars

 

[666bees]

Dont forget you really do not know until you see worker brood that everything is ok. Eggs can turn into Dones!

 

[Alabamaeee]

How about "Kate".

Seems a good name for a future Queen

 

[fincaazul]

Well there's Beatrice, Bernadette, Beyonce, Bella ..... nooo, not really!

For a REAL queen how about Danielle la Rue?

 

[susbees]

Dont forget you really do not know until you see worker brood that everything is ok. Eggs can turn into Dones!

Yup, got a caste swarm done just that. The bees knew and tried making emergency cells from them! Shook out on the grass Saturday, check for eggs tomorrow...unite with something or other. I think.

 

[kazmcc]

Yeah......I know. I just have a good feeling about her

I seem to have the knack for this, I'm told. Which surprises the daylights out of me, but I am loving every step. I know a lot can go wrong, but I'm enjoying just getting this far. She is very pretty, isn't she?

If she isn't sucessful, then I get to learn about introducing a queen. Silver lining Thank you to everyone who has supported me this far, it's the best decision I ever made to stick at this.

 

[providence wayne]

nice pics though

 

[kazmcc]

The prettiest bees ever

I think so anyway......

 

[Skyhook]

for us, then why knock it?

It's when we try and name every bee that people should worry

What's the problem? Mine are all called Doris.*

*Apart from the drones of course. That would be silly.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Bee1, Bee2 etc. Has the advantage of letting you know how many bees you have.

 

[drstitson]

"Bee1, Bee2 etc. Has the advantage of letting you know how many bees you have."

you'd need the patience of HRP to stick with that (unless you only have apideas!).

i can just hear the gentle brummy voice reciting "Bee fifty thousand four hundred and eight. Slurp. Bee fifty thousand four hundred and nine..."

 

[Erichalfbee]

you'd need the patience of HRP to stick with that

Or be the Borg

 

[kazmcc]

Bee1, Bee2 etc. Has the advantage of letting you know how many bees you have.

For when people ask you " Ooooo, you keep bees! How many do you have? " You can give an exact reply