BMH
Drone Bee
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2015
- Messages
- 1,440
- Reaction score
- 42
- Hive Type
- National
I caught a swarm earlier this year.
Placed in a poly nuc with 6 frames of foundation, which they drew out in a week.
Two weeks later, no eggs.
Gave them a frame of brood - werent interested, so assumed there was still a virgin running around.
2 weeks later, still no eggs.
Another frame of brood - still not interested.
All this time I havent been able to find a queen/eggs, which is unusual as I normally find virgins pretty quickly in small nucs.
I had a spare mated queen and put that in the colony. Released after 3 days and clearly kiled.
6 weeks now and still no eggs or signs of a virgin!
Got a good mind to let them dwindle!
Next POA is to take a ready to emerge virgin, shake every single bee out and turn the queen excluder on at the front for a couple of days.
Odd one this...
Placed in a poly nuc with 6 frames of foundation, which they drew out in a week.
Two weeks later, no eggs.
Gave them a frame of brood - werent interested, so assumed there was still a virgin running around.
2 weeks later, still no eggs.
Another frame of brood - still not interested.
All this time I havent been able to find a queen/eggs, which is unusual as I normally find virgins pretty quickly in small nucs.
I had a spare mated queen and put that in the colony. Released after 3 days and clearly kiled.
6 weeks now and still no eggs or signs of a virgin!
Got a good mind to let them dwindle!
Next POA is to take a ready to emerge virgin, shake every single bee out and turn the queen excluder on at the front for a couple of days.
Odd one this...