Mated swarm queen

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kighill

House Bee
Beekeeping Sponsor
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
315
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Location
Ravenshead Nottingham
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
Forever more.
Last week I helped a new beekeeper collect his first swarm. The swarm was 40 feet up a tree so a bit challenging for his first. (He is a qualified tree climber and did use ropes and a harness)

I am sure that having collected swarms previously containing mated queens that they have started to lay within a week.

We checked today and no eggs yet (7 days later) I am aware where the swarm came from hence knowing it is a mated queen.

Is my mind playing tricks or am I being a little impatient?
 
no eggs yet (7 days later) I am aware where the swarm came from hence knowing it is a mated queen.

I wish I had your confidence of this statement, but you need to convince me. At this present time I would tend to be affirmative of the first part of your question.
 
I do not need to convince you my statement is clear (I know where the queen came from)
Useful advice welcome.
 
Patience is needed, queens can go off lay for various reasons and swarming and weather are a couple of good ones. If the queen was a good one and she is still healthy then the chances are she will lay....eventually. Let us know when you find eggs!
 
Hi Kighill,
In my limited swarm collecting experience I have found some lay day two (hasten to add not inspected day two, but counting back from capped brood) others not done much at all in first 10 days. Why? Only they know!
 
Hi Kighill,
In my limited swarm collecting experience I have found some lay day two (hasten to add not inspected day two, but counting back from capped brood) others not done much at all in first 10 days. Why? Only they know!

Some are primes,some casts?.
edited.............oooops should have read OP properly
 
Worth giving hived swarm a frame of eggs & brood I reckon.
 
Apologies for the late reply all is well and the queen is in lay although she took a while to get going.
 
Apologies for the late reply all is well and the queen is in lay although she took a while to get going.

Just how long precisely? As I thought, I expect - a swarm with a virgin. You had my useful advice but, as usual, you were blinkered by your inexperience of the time-scale for a queen (with a prime swarm) starting to lay. They would not have swarmed if she was going to be off-lay for a month.
 
We checked today and no eggs yet (7 days later) I am aware where the swarm came from hence knowing it is a mated queen.

?

why it should be mated if it does not lay? Swarm queens start to lay about after 2 days.

Swarm virgin needs at least 8 days.

You have now in UK good weathers?

.
 
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The latest update on the swarm in question is that she has now been superseded
 
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Apologies for the late reply all is well and the queen is in lay although she took a while to get going.

Just how long precisely? As I thought, I expect - a swarm with a virgin. You had my useful advice but, as usual, you were blinkered by your inexperience of the time-scale for a queen (with a prime swarm) starting to lay. They would not have swarmed if she was going to be off-lay for a month.

Please avoid the temptation to respond to any of my posts, I have no desire to read your ill mannered replies.

Thank you

Ps no response required.
 
Please avoid the temptation to respond to any of my posts, I have no desire to read your ill mannered replies.

Thank you

Ps no response required.

Rab is a very experienced beekeeper,he can be very abrupt in his replies but his advice is very good.

I used to give him short term bans for his replies if they upset other members but have come to realise its just his way.

Admin.
 
Response is coming all the same. If you don't want the truth or are going to ignore it, why bother to ask in the first place. Of course your queen was mated one, of course you knew that - if you say so. Of course with that many hives you should have known. Of course all the new beeks will listen to you; not Finman and others who know exactly where you are not coming from. A shame you were wrong.

Next you will be telling us it was one of yours and a clipped queen as well?

No response needed. I just know it will be another lame excuse.
 
I must say that I have pm'ed Rab in the past and he has always given me good, detailed advice, I think if you take his advice as he first wrote it, and as Finman already supported, you couldn't go far wrong. He can be a bit er, blunt, but his advice is usually on the button. Give him a chance, I have learnt a lot from his posts. The main thing I got from him is to think before you act.
Glad your swarm turned out okay.
 
Response is coming all the same. If you don't want the truth or are going to ignore it, why bother to ask in the first place. Of course your queen was mated one, of course you knew that - if you say so. Of course with that many hives you should have known. Of course all the new beeks will listen to you; not Finman and others who know exactly where you are not coming from. A shame you were wrong.

Next you will be telling us it was one of yours and a clipped queen as well?

No response needed. I just know it will be another lame excuse.

You've got the bedside manner of Ghengis Khan Rab ... but your advice is usually good - those of use who read your posts on a regular basis understand that it is just the way you are and have learnt not to take it as a personal affront. I'm sure most of us recognise that beneath that barbed wire exterior you are really a fluffy bunny just trying to help your fellow man ... now, I'll just go and get the wire cutters from the shed, :hairpull:
 
You've got the bedside manner of Ghengis Khan Rab ... but your advice is usually good - those of use who read your posts on a regular basis understand that it is just the way you are and have learnt not to take it as a personal affront. I'm sure most of us recognise that beneath that barbed wire exterior you are really a fluffy bunny just trying to help your fellow man ... now, I'll just go and get the wire cutters from the shed, :hairpull:

I think he was bullied at school!
 

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