New queen?

[Newbeeneil]

Just thought I would remind you of the note at the bottom of your posts indicating a 3 point check before responding - is the reply "true", "necessary", or "kind". I suggest your reply was neither necessary or kind. The reason I think very carefully before posting a question on this forum is because of my past experience of critical or snide comments. New and novice beekeepers can be easily discouraged by such comments.

I was just asking a question as I wondered if the OP had some way of inspecting whilst feeding. It was necessary to understand the situation and was certainly not meant to be unkind.
The answer given informed me that they had in fact done an inspection after spotting queen cells which was certainly not indicated in their previous comments. So the question was certainly necessary for me to understand the situation.
I tend to look at profiles before I post and I think an owner of 11 hives could hardly be described as a new or novice beekeeper and they certainly didn't seem to be phased by my question.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Just thought I would remind you of the note at the bottom of your posts indicating a 3 point check before responding - is the reply "true", "necessary", or "kind". I suggest your reply was neither necessary or kind. The reason I think very carefully before posting a question on this forum is because of my past experience of critical or snide comments. New and novice beekeepers can be easily discouraged by such comments.

Let's not descend to tip toeing on eggshells. Adults should be able to engage in conversation, even banter at times.

 

[ericbeaumont]

6-7 qc’s capped

Looks like emergency QCs; supersedure cells are usually 3 or fewer.

 

[North End Bees]

I tend to look at profiles before I post and I think an owner of 11 hives could hardly be described as a new or novice beekeeper.

I know of several beekeepers who launched in with a dozen hives in their first year. They were still first year beekeepers. (And some people aren't great at learning from experience either so they might know as much as if they had only 1 or 2 hives.)

Conversely I know beekeepers who've kept multiple apiaries for tens of years who have now scaled down to 2 hives at the bottom of the garden. They would appear inexperienced, going by the profile. Even more so if they only joined the forum recently.

 

[Swarm]

This thread is in the wrong section surely?
It's either a Beginners or General forum question, the OP has been a member since 2012. I'd be surprised if the skin hasn't thickened a little in eight years

 

[North End Bees]

My comment wasn't re the OP, but about the pitfalls of 'classifying' someone by their profile.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

This thread is in the wrong section surely?

You're right - sorted

 

[Ian123]

Hello, just checked one of my hives which was thriving and to my despair found qc’s! I know they are too late to be viable but is it too late to introduce a mated Q? I have seen some for sale. Or should I just combine with another colony? Tia

Plenty of queens being introduced atm it’s more a case of is it worth the hassle and is what you have worth saving. And as to the post suggesting your late inspections may have been the cause other than you actually squashing her ...rubbish.

 

[masterBK]

And as to the post suggesting your late inspections may have been the cause other than you actually squashing her ...rubbish.
[/QUOTE

Some colonies do ball their queens during inspections presumably in response to being disturbed so may not be total rubbish. More likely to happen with a young or recently introduced queen in my experience.

 

[Ian123]

And as to the post suggesting your late inspections may have been the cause other than you actually squashing her ...rubbish.
[/QUOTE

Some colonies do ball their queens during inspections presumably in response to being disturbed so may not be total rubbish. More likely to happen with a young or recently introduced queen in my experience.

Yes I think most here are aware that queens can get balled and yes you are correct it’s normally a recently introduced queen and I’ve also had it happen with United colonies, however the specific suggestion was down to the time of year!!

 

[beeno]

Are they emergency QCs then? If not I would just tear them down and hope the colony changes its mind and look for the Q which is a pain, but it is still 15-16°C during the day. I would not expect eggs in my hives now, because they only laid up their winter bees the other week and need to collect a lot of pollen for the emerging brood. Do make sure they are hopelessly queenless though before introducing new queen or uniting.

 

[Ian123]

Beeno your a similar location to me I’d expect to see eggs in my hives until the ivy stops flowering and there’s normally some still going into December. That’s obviously weather dependant hard frosts and storms can shorten that. I’ve got nucs that are laying up whole frames atm

 

[Murox]

Interesting comments above - I had a quick look a couple of days ago as I was removing apivar strips. Best day time temps recently were 13 - 15 degrees - I saw BIAS and lots of young bees too.

 

[Swarm]

How is that Amm queen doing?

 

[beeno]

Beeno your a similar location to me I’d expect to see eggs in my hives until the ivy stops flowering and there’s normally some still going into December. That’s obviously weather dependant hard frosts and storms can shorten that. I’ve got nucs that are laying up whole frames atm

My bees seems to lay up 5-6 frames of winter bees, most of which were capped brood a couple of weeks ago. They seem to go in cycles with a little brood break in between and at the max. of brood that's when they may swarm during the season. I agree that nucs may be more active now, but then they are probably seeking to increase in numbers too rather than just producing winter bees. If you have a queen that is between two brood cycles or is slowing down for winter there may be a small amount of brood which you are not going to see unless you tear the colony apart and you are not generally going to do that this time of the year. I do not have brood all year round.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

My bees seems to lay up 5-6 frames of winter bees, most of which were capped brood a couple of weeks ago. They seem to go in cycles with a little brood break in between

yeah, right

 

[beeno]

Seasonal Cycles of Activities in Colonies | MAAREC – Mid Atlantic Apiculture Research & Extension Consortium-colomies