New Queen

[pstafford]

So, I am a newbie beek for 2010.

As you can imagine I am doing it all by the book and taking my time making sure I have checked for eggs each time I open the hive.

For over a month I have not seen the marked queen, but have always seen eggs. This weekend I open the hive, note more eggs and then spot the queen - unmarked...

oops

I have only seen small play cups, not a single full sized queen cell and yet here is the new queen busily laying away with not a clue as to what happened to the original.

 

[grizzly]

Sounds like supercedure, it happens to many, it's easier than you think to miss a QC, especially under a mass of bees.

 

[joolsp]

Given you have seen eggs every time, isn't it more likely that the 'mark' on the queen simply fell off? Does happen.

 

[Midland Beek]

How was the queen marked? They can sometimes lose their blob of paint or whatever.

 

[pstafford]

It was a blob of yellow paint.

If she has lost it, that explains why I had not seen her until the weekend as I was looking for a big yellow splodge before.

 

[m100]

It was a blob of yellow paint.

So its either a 2007 queen on her last legs, or someone who doesn't adhere to standard colours

 

[Rosti]

So its either a 2007 queen on her last legs, or someone who doesn't adhere to standard colours

m100, that may not be such a bad idea given this years blue pens seem to 'rub off' I've had to remark 2 of 3 queens marked this year and my fourth hive which is a monster on a 14x12 and std BB combi, I have just left unmarked given it's a known 2010 supercedure queen and blue is clearly only semi-perm! Will treat her to some nice 2011 white tippex in the spring (when the numbers are down) I think.

 

[MJBee]

I have noticed that too, Rosti, My green and one red queens are still clearly marked but this years blues are very faded/patchy - roll on 2011.

 

[justme]

Given you have seen eggs every time, isn't it more likely that the 'mark' on the queen simply fell off? Does happen.

Yes. My queen was green (autumn 2009) marked on 1st inspection, green polo marked 2nd inspection, unmarked 3rd inspection. Not seen since 6th inspection but 1, 2 and 3 day old eggs every inspection. It happens.

 

[BKF Admin]

m100, that may not be such a bad idea given this years blue pens seem to 'rub off' I've had to remark 2 of 3 queens marked this year and my fourth hive which is a monster on a 14x12 and std BB combi, I have just left unmarked given it's a known 2010 supercedure queen and blue is clearly only semi-perm! Will treat her to some nice 2011 white tippex in the spring (when the numbers are down) I think.

Very sensible,I have done that before on double brood.
It just gets to the stage that they are to big to just go hunting for the queen and best left until the numbers are down.

Personaly I think beekeeping is just as much about knowing when to walk away rather than never giving up.