Lost Queen? Tipexed workers New bee keeper

[RosieMc]

I only started bee keeping a couple of months ago after going on a short course. One of the other people (T) on the course was given a couple of frames which multiplied FAST. He then gave me a couple of his frames on the 13 July 09 with 2 Queen cells on. I looked on the 17 July when both Queen cells had hatched. But no sign of Queens or any drones. I've looked every other day - nothing, no Queen, no drones.

The weird thing is T and I looked on 5 Aug and we spotted 3 worker bees with Tipex on (he had just marked his Queen with Tipex and got some on some of the workers) and at least a couple of drones. T lives about 3 miles away. I now have about 2 packed frames of extremely busy bees plus they are building comb on 2 of the adjacent frames.

The above gives me a bit more hope as I now have a couple of drones, but no sign of a Queen. I believe that it is normal for new bee keepers to have vivid dreams of bees. Mine are full of vivid dreams of me searching all night on my frames for a queen and drones, interspaced with filling up my wasp traps with Tropicana orange juice as they are not interested in the cheep stuff!!!

What should I do - wait? or get a new Queen? Help!!! then maybee I can get a decent nights sleep!!

 

[BKF Admin]

Find a local mentor to go through the hive with you.

Victor Meldrew may know of someone in your area,if he see's this thread when online he will possibly comment.

 

[jon]

If the queens hatched on 17 July I would not give up on one getting mated until 17 August.
If you think there is no queen, put in a test frame which contains eggs or young larvae.
Workers with white backs have been visiting Himalayan Balsam and got the white pollen on their thorax.
You don't need drones in your hive to get a queen mated as queens mate in the air, not in the hive and they can travel a considerable distance to mate with drones from neighbouring colonies.

 

[BKF Admin]

One hive Jon.

 

[Poly Hive]

I will make two suggestions.

First one is to relax. (please do nt look for virgins leave them well alone and they will do what nature needs)

Second is to acquire a decent bee book and do some reading please. Forums are all very well, and this is a very good one, but you NEED the back ground knowledge to read your colony. Not many ask questions on the forum from their lappie with the hive open.

PH