Mentor took Q away

[Ian123]

Hi Gary can I ask did this guy not look at the nuc before bringing it over who spotted the sac brood you or him…..and let’s just hope it was sac brood!!!!!!!!

 

[GaryH]

Recognizing you're new to this game and eager but you really need to stop fiddling and sit back to think before diving in again. It's no good asking a question then taking bits of advice from everyone and his dog Listen to ONE experienced COMPETENT beekeeper who in this case is suggest is JBM. Fingers crossed the QC is viable and the emerged virgin mates successfully and doesn't end up inside a swallow.

Ha ha thanks for the rebuke. I’ve actually done what the mentor told me to do. I was seeking some external validation however it is apparent there are as many different methods and opinions as there are emergency QCs in my hive

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’ve actually done what the mentor told me to do.

The same mentor who took the queen away?
PM JBM if you want proper advice.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

experienced COMPETENT beekeeper who in this case is suggest is JBM

Oi! stop casting nasturtiums you'll be getting me a reputation that I l know what I'm doing!!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Ha ha thanks for the rebuke. I’ve actually done what the mentor told me to do. I was seeking some external validation however it is apparent there are as many different methods and opinions as there are emergency QCs in my hive

Hardly a rebuke (you ain't seen me when I get going ). I strongly suggest the mentor you mention has already demonstrated a distinct lack of the necessary competence so I struggle to understand why you would keep going back for more.

 

[user 819]

Unless you know to within 24 - 48hrs when the QC was sealed then all you know is that she will emerge within 6 -7 days when a sealed QC is seen, if the bees are fusisng all over then simply leave them to it and wait another 3 - 4 weeks before investigating. The bees know a lot more then us and meddling can be detrimental , everytime you go in you risk damaging the QC or if VQ is on the loose accidently squishing her.

You gain nothing by constantly meddling , 3- 4 weeks and with good warm mating weather one can go in and usally eggs or larvae will be seen, if lucky some may already be sealed.
From the time of seeing a sealed QC one may not see eggs or larvae for as long as five weeks.

 

[user 819]

As a new beek one needs to constrain oneself and listen to the experience offered via the forum, though you will need to pick out the good and not so good advice . Generally not so good advice is often remarked on.

As an aside I agree with a few others on here who say you need a different mentor then the one you currently have to guide you.

 

[GaryH]

Thanks all your advice is much appreciated

 

[GaryH]

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 !

It’s 24 days since my Q swarmed (albeit in my ex mentors car)

Following advice from this forum, I have left my hive until yesterday to inspect it this with a view to establish. If I had a mated Queen

My only hive is thriving with bees and there are 7 frames of honey in the national deep super. Along with stores on the outer frames of the brood box.
Central frames of the brood box have spotlessly clean cells in the centre brood areas of the frames. Almost like the bees have prepared it for the new virgin Queen to start laying.
There are no eggs.
Do I give it another week to see if the virgin Queen has indeed returned and started to lay?

I have an option of getting some eggs from another Beekeepers to test whether I have queen or not is this a good idea not withstanding potential transference of diseases
I also have an option of placing a protected Queen cell in the hive but what if the newly mated queen if I have one returns?
Should I make up another nuc with a gifted QC if so how wearing in mine, I only have one hive

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

if there are polished cells then it's a good sign that the bees are happy they have a queen, last thing she needs now is someone clattering around in the hive - give her another week and see what happens

 

[user 819]

One has to be a bit patient , a new queen may take up to four weeks to lay from emerging.
One has to use the time line given in this thread , on the 8th you said you impatiently inspected and saw the marked QC though the tip wasn't darkened. We can then assume it had another 4 - 6 days to develope before she emerged approx., so between the 12th - 14th so this is the best date one can go by that she did so she will often need a further few days to mature in the hive before any mating flights occur so we are nearing the 16th - 18th before she does so.
That means she has only had 10 days so too soon yet, one can expect if all is well to see signs of eggs /larvae within the next two - three weeks.

 

[GaryH]

Thanks

 

[user 819]

Regarding the marked QC which we assume a viable VQ has emerged from, was it still there or had the bees removed it ?

If still there and open as expected ( sometines the cap is replaced) then one can assume all is well.

One ahs to bite his/her tongue and allow the colony to carry on undisturbed , I would leave them a fortnight going by the time line and then think about a frame test with a frame of eggs.

 

[GaryH]

QC was open with two others with holes in the side chewed by workers?
Note: I left more than the one QC after reading up on the subject and of course from reading this forum

 

[Ian123]

QC was open with two others with holes in the side chewed by workers?
Note: I left more than the one QC after reading up on the subject and of course from reading this forum

The holes in the side and your open cell would suggest a virgin is present. She still has to fly mate and return successfully though!

 

[user 819]

QC was open with two others with holes in the side chewed by workers?
Note: I left more than the one QC after reading up on the subject and of course from reading this forum

That's good , a VQ can disappear . Get lost to another hive unlikely in your case or get eaten by a bird.

One though still needs to go by the time line of events for the QC and approx. emergence before pannicking. So at least three weeks from the 16th - 18th of his month before you may even see eggs.

The bees have already preped the brood area with polished cells in the middle of some combs and a general quite buzz & demeanour of the colony is a good indicator all is well.

One just has to allow them peace and quiet to get on with the job.

 

[GaryH]

I have been given a mature QC in a protected cage. I would like to put it in a 3 frame nuc with some brood and bees from the hive we all suspect has a mated Q in albeit no eggs yet.
Is this possible? It’s also thundering so not a great time to go in the hive.

 

[North End Bees]

Can you ask the person donating the QC to make up a small nuc for you instead? One frame of emerging brood + extra bees + stores will be enough. You can always repay them when your own bees have built up.

 

[GaryH]

Ideally that would’ve worked but I’m now back home 6 miles away with a QC in my top pocket

 

[Sutty]

Well you need to do something to keep it warm! (unless you have an incubator).
I'd put it in the nuc & hope for the best - there is of course a chance you transfer the queen from the donor hive if you can't find her! Finding her would be best.
I guess if you have appropriate boxes available you could shake off the bees from a brood frame, add the queen cell and put in the nuc with 2 more frames with bees removed, cover with an excluder & another box and shake bees in through the excluder - making sure bees left on top of the excluder go back in the donor hive (possibly including the queen).
Someone with a better idea might be along soon!