Piping Queen

[ladaok]

1st time i've heard a strange, singing or I suppose you could call it piping sound / call.
From a hive that has swarmed about 8 +/- days ago. Still looked really active last couple of days, I was a bit suspicious, found 2 old cells on one and about 5 emergency or supersedure cells on another frame, pretty new by the look, but capped (8+) days old. So decided to split this hive, with my trial method (which seems to work well ), was moving frames around and heard this noise (piping ?)

What is it ? what does it mean ? ... queen still in cell, virgin Q on the loose ?
have read about it previously, but have forgotten

So any, have split with the pied piper in the top box with what looks like 2 old Q/C and the new cells below

 

[Finman]

.
- Virgins are piping before departure.

- Or swarm has gone and virgins call each others to fight. Piiping here, piiping there.

- Third: Young queen piip in a nuc or even in the cage without other queen cells.

- you put a new queen onto comb. Queen press its thorax onto comb and piips.
.

 

[ladaok]

.
- Virgins are piping before departure.

- Or swarm has gone and virgins call each others to fight. Piiping here, piiping there.

- Third: Young queen piip in a nuc or even in the cage without other queen cells.

- you put a new queen onto comb. Queen press its thorax onto comb and piips.
.

Virgins are piping before departure... mating flights or virgin swarm ?

Ah well, I think I split 'em as best I could,

1) piping Q & old cells top box, so if the old cells don't hatch, still got a Q that is unlikely to swam ( plenty of room )

2) bottom box has 5 reasonable looking cells

The only thing I can't remember is looking for eggs ! bloody hopeless old bugger I am, phssst

 

[Finman]

.
You will get answers from google.
.

 

[ladaok]

.
You will get answers from google.
.

finman / google, ... same thing I thought

 

[bpmurray]

I thought one of the reasons for piping was to get responses from queens in cells who are then killed.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Queens pipe for various reasons - workers pipe when preparing to swarm........................

 

[Finman]

I thought one of the reasons for piping was to get responses from queens in cells who are then killed.

But queens pipe before swarming, and no one is killed before the swarm has gone. Ready virgins stay inside the queen cells. Old queen pipes too even with cut wing.

 

[For want of a better word]

finman / google, ... same thing I thought

Neither is!

Yeghes da

 

[ladaok]

mmmm, ..possible multitude of reasons, will assemble a research team and let you know the results for a fee

 

[Finman]

Neither is!

Yeghes da

Neither fact persons are sometimes very well known, like Tarzan, Bond and Saarijärven Paavo.

 

[ladaok]

Neither fact persons are sometimes very well known, like Tarzan, Bond and Saarijärven Paavo.

Ah yes, a lovely poem, we recite , or read it 3 - 4 weeks before harvest, with our neighbours.