Post AS...

[Stoney147]

What happens with a virgin queen if she doesn't get mated, and is there a window for this to happen. I currently have two queenless hives going on a month now. I've done some test frames tonight. Let's hope for the best.

Thanks.

 

[TOBY-3652]

I have had one tonight that didn't get mated and shese a drone layer.. I saw her last week but couldn't find her tonight so threw them all out 100 yards away and took the nuc away so they will have to beg there way in a hive

 

[RosieMc]

A queen who is not mated will turn into a drone layer.

A couple of years ago when we had bad weather, it took a month for one of my queens to get out of the hive for her mating flight. But waiting a month is pushing it

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I currently have two queenless hives going on a month now.

So is that 'going on' for a month after calculated emergence of the queen, the leaving of a swarm (thus just before capping the QC) or what?

Still a little time left before getting really concerned IMHO

 

[Stoney147]

Thanks for replies

One emerged 23rd and another 29th April. All say leave queen less for four weeks and your dicing with laying workers... You think she's just not mated??

 

[BeeJayBee]

One emerged 23rd and another 29th April. All say leave queen less for four weeks and your dicing with laying workers... You think she's just not mated??

One of my colonies swarmed on 24th April, its new queen only started laying in the last few days. (Swarm was collected and housed)

Your test frames can confirm queenlessness, but cannot tell you the quality of the queen they've got.

 

[oliver90owner]

Virgin queens will eventually lay, unless there is some reason preventing them doing so.

The window for mating is a few weeks. That is effectively extended by the period before sexual maturity and a few days after mating.

There is more than a subtle difference between a queenright hive and a queenless one. The latter, in your cases, will already have no hope of survival unless you intervene. If you have queenless hives there will not be virgins in there. I would not even be describing a hive with a viable queen cell as queenless.

RAB

 

[Stoney147]

Sorry RAB your right unlike my terminology, but anyway I inspected today and queen cells on both of the test frames I put in(2 hives) any advice. Some of the eggs looked like a day old(end on) will these have been moved by worker bees, I'm just trying to gauge when one queen cell can be left alone ..

 

[oliver90owner]

If you have queen cells on test frames that does indicate they are queenless. I would not personally be raising queens from emergency cells, but I have alternatives.

Without knowing details of the strength of these groups of bees, I could not comment further before knowing their strength. Uniting might be better.

Small queens can be the result, which, while maintaining the viability of the colony, can be superceded early or perhaps not be restrained by a queen excluder.

After a month or more, I would be considering introducing a laying queen or queens as a favoured potions.

Not totally sure of what your question was. If you intend raising a queen from a test frame, you can remove poor cells after a week. If made on older larvae, they could emerge earlier than expected, so a week is about the best compromise. Six days from frame addition is minimum and pick the largest, especially if it an open cell. They are not going to swarm, but you need to get the best queen you can.