Introduced queen not laying

[Tom Bick]

I have a Buckfast queen introduced into a hive three weeks ago and is yet to start to lay and I don’t know how much longer to give her.

She looks undamaged and is going through the motions but just no eggs?

When I watched her on the comb on a couple of cells she as normal stuck her head in the cells but on this two occasions must have gone right to the base of the cell with abdomen sticking vertically out of the cell and stayed there for what must have been two minutes, and I was concerned that she must be stuck but she eventually popped up and carried on?

I am considering removing her into a small nuc and combining the hive with a reasonably strong nuc also Buckfast from the same supplier, or should I give her a bit more time?

With virtually no brood in the hive I could spot Varroa on a number of bees so I will for the first time try lactic acid.

 

[Mike a]

I would try and encourage or stimulate her into laying by feeding no more than a pint of syrup or a small lump of fondant or bruise some cappings. If nothing after another week I'd contact the supplier and ask for a another queen.

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

I would try and encourage or stimulate her into laying by feeding no more than a pint of syrup or a small lump of fondant or bruise some cappings. If nothing after another week I'd contact the supplier and ask for a another queen.

Had a similar problem with one of my new queens, gave them a little syrup and she started laying...

Brian

 

[Tom Bick]

Thanks I will try a bit of 1-1 syrup

 

[Midland Beek]

No income might explain this non-laying, but even in a dearth you would expect the laying of at least some eggs. I have been told that Nosema (infecting the queen) can suddenly stop a queen laying.

 

[Tom Bick]

Just an update on this queen, I moved her into a small nuc and fed 1-1 syrup.

Yesterday I was watching the entrance and a noticeable change in activity foraging with a purpose and urgency and pollen entering the hive, a marked improvement on previous days.

So me thinks that after approx 5 weeks from purchase she may just have started to lay and I may just take a look in a couple of days.

 

[Poly Hive]

Was she marked Tom?

PH

 

[Tom Bick]

Yes ph it’s the same queen

It is possible that she may still be a non layer but will report back after I take a look.

 

[Poly Hive]

I'll be honest here Tom, if she is laying she has been supped. I have never come across a queen taking this long to commence. If you bought her in I would be looking for cash back or a replacement.

PH

 

[Tom Bick]

I understand what you say ph and respect your experience I don’t have the same experience but I realise this is an unusual situation and I am happy to continue and see what the outcome will be.

The nuc that she was first introduced into all the brood apart from a few cells had emerged before I removed her with a couple of the frames and then united the remaining frames with another nuc. I never spotted one egg in that time.

If I had introduced a frame with eggs into the nuc after three weeks may have resulted in supersedure cells but I never did this nor did I put a frame of eggs and brood in the small nuc she is in now.

I have been in contact with the supplier and they will sort it if I request replacement or cash.

 

[burren]

What is the update on this,Tom?

 

[Easy Beesy]

Hi all
I too have a non-laying queen. And shes beautiful! Emerged 6 weeks ago, appearance changed, elongated, purposeful on frame but no laying. Should I try stimulative feeding, requeen or just keep waiting? Time ( and more importantly weather) is running out.

Eb

 

[newportbuzz]

just found this post and i had this happen last year. i was advised it was proberly a nosema queen. She lasted 7 weeks till i managed to replace her and in the end it was to little to late. i tried keeping the colony strong with brood from another hive which i ended up killing aswell in the process.
if i ever find another nosema queen i will remove her and replace her with a queen, a cell, a frame of eggs, a laying worker anything is better than a nosema queen it is heartbreaking .

my queen was quite large she was docile on the comb and she was seen almost everytime i went into the hive which was regulary with feed and brood frames.

 

[Tom Bick]

What is the update on this,Tom?

Just to update on the queen she is no more it was obvious that she was never going to start to lay. I gave her plenty of time and followed the instructions from the supplier after contacting them over the problem.

I followed the suppliers instruction and after I had, as they put it “de-queen and reunite with other colony” after I had done this and informed the supplier he offered to replace her for £13??

I still don’t understand this extra charge he then told me if I had returned her to them they will give a full refund, I told them she was now on the bottom of my shoe and that is not possible also I took de-queen as just that and not return queen to him.

I am still pestering for a full refund

I am very disappointed with this supplier its not as though they have a bad reputation, I am on their case again today and hope to get an answer.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

I still don’t understand this extra charge he then told me if I had returned her to them they will give a full refund, I told them she was now on the bottom of my shoe and that is not possible also I took de-queen as just that and not return queen to him.

I am still pestering for a full refund

I am very disappointed with this supplier its not as though they have a bad reputation, I am on their case again today and hope to get an answer.

Tom - can you not put a white blob of paint on a passing drone, squish it beyond recognition and send that back?

 

[Black Comb]

I've had 2 like this recently. Both bought in queens from a supplier I have used in the past. I bought 4 and 2 are OK.

The 2 problem ones :-

After 4 weeks had laid up a little then stopped. Some flow on, in any event gave them a small feed but made no difference.

I "guessed" nosema queens and fed fumidil B.

Result 2 weeks later is that one had just disappeared (no queen cells) and the other is still there but not laying at all.

Problem is I can not unite or put in test frames as currently they are the only 2 hives at this apiary (others are at the heather).

 

[Tom Bick]

Although I refer to one queen in this thread I actually got 4 at the same time.

Two for me and two for another beekeeper.

I have not talked directly to that other beekeeper but after this weekend I understand he has a problem with one of his queens to.

I got my queens from Bickerstaffs and a bit disappointed with them over this. Not the fact that I got a non laying queen that I imaging can happen from time to time but just their slow response.

 

[Hivemaker.]

I got my queens from Bickerstaffs and a bit disappointed with them over this. Not the fact that I got a non laying queen that I imaging can happen from time to time but just their slow response.

They most likely came from Batsis then. Sounds like it could possibly be nosema,and when a queen happens to get it, her ovaries degenerate,waste of time feeding fumidil or anything else if this stage is reached with an already infected queen.

 

[Tom Bick]

HM I understand it that the queens come from Ioannia Greece

 

[Hivemaker.]

HM I understand it that the queens come from Ioannia Greece

Yes, thats from Batsis Tom.