Monster Queen.

[jeff33]

Probably not much discussion out of this thread but I opened one of my split yesterday to see if it had worked and was greeted by one of the biggest queen I have seen and she is already laying which is a bonus. She is a good inch in length and very stocky, way bigger than the breeder queen....must have been fed on steroids!

I took that split to my friend's house to get her mated with some of his drones. His bees are a lot less swarmy than mine, easy to handle and they are looking strong and healthy (he didn't treat for varroa at all last year or over the winter and no sign of any).

...lets see what her offsprings bring!

 

[alldigging]

I've got some monster drones. Am taking tape measure with me next time and will get one to pose for a photo

 

[Jimy Dee]

Jeff, any chance of a photo, she sounds as if she is worth seeing. Will she lay eggs for a decade?

 

[Robbo8916]

Not a great photo but thats my queen, she is a Beast!

(I didn't mark her by the way lol)

 

[Arfermo]

I've got some monster drones. Am taking tape measure with me next time and will get one to pose for a photo

Well endowed ??????

 

[northernsoul]

I'm tempted to say that it's not the size that matters but it probably is for Queens.
Is there a direct correlation between size and the number of mating flights accomplished?
Any answers?

 

[alldigging]

Well endowed ??????

I aint looked!

 

[Poly Hive]

Size counts for very little.

Had skinny malinks who slid through the Qex effortlessly and laid like billy oh, and monsters which dried up very rapidly leading to supercedure. *shrugs*

PH

 

[jeff33]

Jeff, any chance of a photo, she sounds as if she is worth seeing. Will she lay eggs for a decade?

I will get one when I next open the hive.

 

[Quis Custodiet]

.......... was greeted by one of the biggest queen I have seen and she is already laying which is a bonus. She is a good inch in length and very stocky, way bigger than the breeder queen............!

Actually what you have described is not a QUEEN BEE, but is what we in the trade used to call a KING BEE. They are relatively scarce, usually only one is to be found in a hive and it is not unknown for there to be none.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Size counts for very little.

Had skinny malinks who slid through the Qex effortlessly and laid like billy oh, and monsters which dried up very rapidly leading to supercedure. *shrugs*

PH

I have THE TINIEST scrub Q at the moment; smaller than her workers. Seems to be laying OK.

 

[jeff33]

t is what we in the trade used to call a KING BEE.

Are you calling my queen a cross dresser?

 

[Quis Custodiet]

Are you calling my queen a cross dresser?

I wanted to break the news gently, it can be such a shock to the system to suddenly become aware of such behaviour by an associate.
One is so pleased to see that you understand and are tolerant of her little foibles.

 

[jeff33]

I wanted to break the news gently, it can be such a shock to the system .

So the question is: Does she lay fertile or infertile eggs? I could wait until the first patch is capped to find out but if it is the case I may have to start thinking of a plan B!

 

[birdsandbees]

I've got a big girl too, she looked just average until she matured and began laying but she's going like the clappers and laying in every available cell, brood right to the edges!
Long may she reign

 

[La Chassagne]

what we in the trade used to call a KING BEE.

A KING bee?