Nannysbees
Drone Bee
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2020
- Messages
- 1,513
- Reaction score
- 1,165
- Location
- Barry
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 5
That's a brilliant idea the drones.
Unless of course, that particular drone has the perfect genes!That's a brilliant idea the drones.
Yes agree I thought of that afterwards and placed a queen yesterday onto a lightly shaken frame to dislodge the flyers. Also in an upper brood box if possible to keep away from the flyers. They’re the ones early in spring which can get into a frenzy foraging. That’s my biggest learning, place her back with the bees that welcome her, watch and get ready to cage if necessary! Plus try and keep cool, I’m sure they pick up on beekeeper behaviour just like we do theirs.One friend told me, and have since followed always put her back middle frame uncapped brood where there are more likely to be nurse bees. Yes had queens balled in the past, but since doing this it has worked. Yes i clip, with out apiaries it is sort of necessary.
Yes hold back on the last clip. At that stage you’ve proved you can do it!Unless of course, that particular drone has the perfect genes!
You seem to be confused between clipping and markingIt's not necessary. It done for the apiarist so they know the queen's age. The bees themselves replace her when she declines. So don't bother !
Thanks that’s another helpful tip about not marking too early (especially in first foraging frenzy). Another tip, contrary to the ‘books’, that say mark early in the season whilst there are not many bees in the hive. Need to get it done though before swarming preps start and when there are going to be enough mature drones around.I have experienced queen balling in the past but that was marking/clipping early in the season and am reluctant to even open a hive too early in the season these days. I have also experienced a queen ‘playing dead’ when handled, a couple of times. Convinced I have killed them but have then found them there as large as life on the next inspection. This behaviour has puzzled me, but I now wonder if it could be a defence mechanism used by queens if they are being balled?
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