Queen Bee?

[Matt1971]

Hi all, i am a new bee keeper and have only inspected my hive twice since only getting a swarm about 4 weeks ago. Last week i managed to spot my queen and marked her with a blue paint pen see photo below on the righthand side. She looked alot bigger as expected but i thought that she was supposed to be alot longer does she look ok to anyone? Also on the next two photo's some of my bee's have wings that are not completly round on the tips is this normal?

 

[Hivemaker.]

She looks like a he to me,you could have quite a few of them.


With regards the wings, they are just older bees with worn wings.

 

[Polyanwood]

As they get old the wings of foragers get ragged. Does not look like raggy wings caused by varroa.

Your queen looks funny...got anymore photos of her?

sorry. x post

 

[TOBY-3652]

I think its a drone allso

 

[ashleybee]

Looks to me as you've had your first practice at marking a drone

 

[xgeordie]

Yes - drone - get someone with more experience to do the next inspection with you. You won't mistake her again once she is pointed out.

 

[Matt1971]

Thought she didnt look right, only photo i got with it on, this was the only bee i saw of this size, well better luck next time.

 

[Chris B]

The good news is you definitely have a healthy queen. Your photo shows a frame of nice looking sealed brood and that drone certainly can't take the credit.

 

[xgeordie]

Here is a pic of a queen - note the long body and legs!

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=12330

Drones have big eyes and a stocky body.

 

[Matt1971]

Lol thanks, yes most of my frames have alot of sealed brood.

 

[susbees]

Nice drone

 

[Andre cardona]

thecardinagoodlife.blogspot has some images of queen have a look some time

 

[kazmcc]

The eyes give it away. Drones eyes are bulgy and meet in the middle. they have bulkier bodies. I think they look like bumbling bullets lol. Also, their wings, like those of workers, run the full length of their bodies more or less. With a queen her wings run about 2/3rds of her length, and she has a longer, tapered abdomen. Once you've seen one you'll know what I'm chunnering on about. On the plus side, you have successfully marked without killing the bee. I am too scared to mark our queen myself, so respect to you. People practice marking drones anyway so you've obviously got the knack

Did you use a crown of thorns, or did you just pick him up and mark him? I've been trying to practice picking up drones to ready myself for marking my queen, but they buzz dead fast when I pick them up and I end up slinging them in panic......I still have a tiny bit of bee fear inside somewhere lol.

Nice pics btw

 

[kazmcc]

Top left of the first pic, is this the bees sampling the nectar of a returning forager? I understand they share it out to show the quality, then do the dance if it's a higher concentration than the other stuff being brought back. Has Matt captured this happening here?

 

[drstitson]

look at the eyes - it's a drone.