Mentor took Q away

[GaryH]

Hi. I bought a nuc off a local keeper. He’s a nice guy and is my mentor however I was perplexed today when, after I had called him yesterday to say I had several swarm cells he helped me today. There were more starting QCs and one capped QC ( I must have missed it yesterday)
He said we need to kill the Q?
I said why don’t we split or do a Demaree as she is a yellow Q only last years??
he said not a good plan and took the Q away
Left the one capped QC and took down any others.

 

[GaryH]

Hi. I bought a nuc off a local keeper. He’s a nice guy and is my mentor however I was perplexed today when, after I had called him yesterday to say I had several swarm cells he helped me today. There were more starting QCs and one capped QC ( I must have missed it yesterday)
He said we need to kill the Q?
I said why don’t we split or do a Demaree as she is a yellow Q only last years??
he said not a good plan and took the Q away
Left the one capped QC and took down any others.

The Q was still in the colony

 

[Erichalfbee]

Good grief ! What a twit your mentor is. You own that queen so splitting her off into a nuc would have been the thing to do
To late for a Demaree
Have you marked the frame tbe queen cell is on.
You need to return in a week to remove more queen cells.
I’m sorry the guy should be ashamed of himself.

 

[pargyle]

Get yourself a new mentor .... never heard anything as daft - unless your mentor needed a new queen and was too tight to fork out £40 to buy one !

 

[Wilco]

Yes, he owes you a queen in my book.

 

[Anduril]

Change your mentor, he is a buffoon. When a hive swarms, why kill a queen? That is the first question to ask.
Why remove all queens cells other than the capped one? The larva in the capped one might not be the ideal age, and you could end up with a dud and then you would have to buy a queen yourself. You are left in a very poor position, you may have wanted to increase your numbers or have the original queen in a split as insurance. He definitely owes you a queen. If you are in an association, speak to them.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Your mentor is a clueless buffoon - ditch him

 

[Erichalfbee]

@GaryH
Gary. Make sure you know what to do with this colony next

 

[pargyle]

Your mentor is a clueless buffoon - ditch him

Or a clever conniving SOB who's sold a nuc and now has a queen back and can sell another with the same queen... perpetual motion if he can do it every time !

 

[Blunt Spike]

Do you have the means to make a split with her? If you do id be asking for my queen back.

Ask him what will happen if the QC is a dud or she doesn't return from mating.

 

[Ian123]

Whilst he may have taken the queen and knocked all but 1 cell down there is every likelihood now with the queen gone they will make a load more apart from the 1 he left.
I’d get on the phone tell him we all called him a berk! And ask for her back. You could at least then artificially swarm them if you have the equipment, I’d also be inclined to introduce her back in a cage just to be safe!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Whilst he may have taken the queen and knocked all but 1 cell down there is every likelihood now with the queen gone they will make a load more apart from the 1 he left.

Absolutely. And they are a big colony still. If one emergency cell is missed they will be off.

 

[ericbeaumont]

ask for her back

Definitely, and today. Not his to take away nor his to use.

Make sure it's the same queen!

 

[madasafish]

Your mentor makes me appear competent and an upstanding member of he beekeeping community.

Leave him/her alone...

 

[blackcloud]

You would be better off without .
He possibly knows exactly what he's doing .
Keep your shed locked from now on.

 

[GaryH]

Thanks all. I do have the equipment I’ve asked for her back. Awaiting reply

 

[GaryH]

Good grief ! What a twit your mentor is. You own that queen so splitting her off into a nuc would have been the thing to do
To late for a Demaree
Have you marked the frame tbe queen cell is on.
You need to return in a week to remove more queen cells.
I’m sorry the guy should be ashamed of himself.

Thanks for the note back; Yeah we pinned the frame with the most viable looking QC on it and destroyed the rest. I’m aware I will need to go back and check for other QCs maybe even choose a better one?

 

[GaryH]

Here is the latest guys:
After reading all your responses (and spending a day at the training apiary yesterday), I respectfully requested the Queen back. Result is apparently the Queen is dead?? But he has offered to bring me round a small colony which I have accepted.
I don’t know whether this small colony is a swarm that he’s collected because he does this for the local beekeeping club when the public call with a swarm problem.
Notwithstanding I am going to get another small colony today, I will try to build up my stock and re-Queen. If there is a problem. Thanks for all your help guys I will update you

 

[Wilco]

Depending on your objectives you have a couple of choices now, on the assumption he won't give the queen back and you want more from that line. If you want a chance of honey this year, continue on the current plan. If you're not too worried about honey, make a split or two from the big colony if new queen cells have been made. Obviously you're not controlling their mating so it's a bit like roulette.

I'd probably also have a quiet word with the local association about what's gone on. Stick to the facts.

I'm not sure a random small colony that's possibly a swarm is a fair trade but it is better than nothing.

 

[GaryH]

Definitely, and today. Not his to take away nor his to use.

Make sure it's the same queen!

See my reply below. Thanks for your note back.

@GaryH
Gary. Make sure you know what to do with this colony next

I am a complete novice and hope I won’t need too much mentorship going forward this saga may have tarnished the relationship
I’m enthusiastic and I have the local club for guidance
Not to mention this forum which is very useful. Thanks