How long to give cast queen

Bakerbee · Jul 15, 2018

I caught a cast swarm back at the end of may. VQ got mated and i put them into a bb that i dummied down. Its now 5 weeks since i first observed eggs. She laid into 2 frames and since then only those two frames. There are 3 other frames drawn but not touched by the queen. Some stores are being brought in but not alot. I have given them a spare frame of capped honey in a feeder above them as worried there were not enough stores. So far bees seem placid while inspecting and the queen is big and fat. Very easy to dpot as so large. Am i being impatient or do i cut my loses with her and buy a well bred queen while there are some still available. Thanks for any advice given.

Bakerbee · Jul 16, 2018

Come on guys, anyone going to offer some wisdom.

beeno · Jul 16, 2018

Maybe she needs a frame of emerging brood if there is a lack of nurse bees?

masterBK · Jul 16, 2018

Maybe give them a feed and see if it encourages an increase in laying rate but often not worth the time/effort nursing weak colonies along. It may be lack of nurse bees so try adding comb of emerging bees to bolster it. I'm not as patient as some and would have got rid of the queen and united it in with another colony (if disease free) by now.

Bakerbee · Jul 16, 2018

Ok im relieved ive been on the right track. I did give them a frame of nurse bees a few weeks back so its not that. And im reluctant to give another if it didnt work the first time. And i had a frame of defrosted capped honey that fell apart in its frame so they had that in a big feeder on top, so its not that either. I think i may try requeening before giving up and uniting them. If the queen is a dud surely a new queen is all it would take and there is still a bit of time left to build them up. Im reluctant to unite yet, as would like 3 colonies for back up management purposes. I have buckfasts but might try finding a reputable black bee breeder and seeing what they are like. Im aware of the huge debate on here about natives but am interested as to what theyre like. Thanks for your replies. I wanted to make sure i hadnt missed doing something to help them but it seems i havent and although a beauty to look at, big and fat. She is a dud.