Queen issues

[Brendan14]

Just inspected my hive this morning to remove the MAQS treatment and found a few play cups Which I thought was strange and on further inspection I found a sealed QC. The queen was nowhere to be found.
I later found a small huddle of bees just outside the entrance and under them was a dead queen.
What do I do now, let the QC hatch but will she be any good, can she still mate and will she survive?
Shall I order a new queen just in case?
Your help is really appreciated

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Welcome to the joys of MAQS
I would abandon hope on the QC coming good, either get a new queen ASAP or unite with another colony.
As a matter of curiosity
What hives do you run?
And how many strips of MAQS did you use?

 

[Brendan14]

Welcome to the joys of MAQS
I would abandon hope on the QC coming good, either get a new queen ASAP or unite with another colony.
As a matter of curiosity
What hives do you run?
And how many strips of MAQS did you use?

I have WBC hives and I used two strips as per the instructions.

 

[Brendan14]

Welcome to the joys of MAQS
I would abandon hope on the QC coming good, either get a new queen ASAP or unite with another colony.
As a matter of curiosity
What hives do you run?
And how many strips of MAQS did you use?

Are MAQS not a good method of varroa treatment?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have WBC hives and I used two strips as per the instructions.

Ah
MAQS was formulated for Dadant hives, unfortunately they cannot change the original istructions due to licencing regulations but the have advised that half the dose is sufficient for Nationals

Are MAQS not a good method of varroa treatment?

It works, although anecdotal evidence is that it's not as effective on sealed brood as they claim.
I think many now only use it earlier in the season due to queen mortality issues

 

[Erichalfbee]

I feel your pain
Eager to try new stuff I used these the year they became available in the U.K.
I lost two queens.
Never used it since.

 

[enrico]

I used to use it and only ever lost one queen when using the higher dosage. It works fine and is perfect in the right conditions. Sorry about your queen. Could have been coincidence!

 

[Brendan14]

Ah
MAQS was formulated for Dadant hives, unfortunately they cannot change the original istructions due to licencing regulations but the have advised that half the dose is sufficient for Nationals


It works, although anecdotal evidence is that it's not as effective on sealed brood as they claim.
I think many now only use it earlier in the season due to queen mortality issues

Thanks for that.
Is there another preferred varroa treatment method?

 

[Brendan14]

I used to use it and only ever lost one queen when using the higher dosage. It works fine and is perfect in the right conditions. Sorry about your queen. Could have been coincidence!

Thanks, thought I was doing the best for them but will dispose of the these are seek another better method.
Have ordered a new queen but won’t be here until 5th October so will let them survive of the new QC for now.

 

[MerryBee]

Thanks, thought I was doing the best for them but will dispose of the these are seek another better method.
Have ordered a new queen but won’t be here until 5th October so will let them survive of the new QC for now.

I think it would be better if you destroyed all the queen cells, including any more they might yet produce.
If you let a new queen emerge you will have to find and destroy her before introducing your bought in queen., and that may be difficult.

 

[Brendan14]

I think it would be better if you destroyed all the queen cells, including any more they might yet produce.
If you let a new queen emerge you will have to find and destroy her before introducing your bought in queen., and that may be difficult.

I thought that but how long can you leave them without a queen considering I don’t get the new queen until 5th Oct?

 

[bobthecob]

Is there another preferred varroa treatment method?

Yes, several.

Apivar has no known effect on queens or bees in general, and is the easiest option if you don't have a device for oxalic acid sublimation.

Oxalic acid sublimation is the most commonly used among contributors to this forum, according to a survey on another thread.

Apiguard is also used by some. And there are others.

 

[MerryBee]

Well yes , waiting 2 weeks for a new queen to arrive is 2 weeks longer than ideal. But if that is the route you have decided on, leaving an virgin queen in your hive is unlikely to be helpful.
The alternative as suggested by JBM above is to unite with another colony if you have one.

 

[madasafish]

I used MAQs last year for the first time on all my hives (2 strips) and nucs (1 strip) with no issues.

But then my hives are nucs are all Lang Jumbos# format so think double brood national hive for a 10 frame hive and a single brood national hive for a 5 frame nuc..

# nearly a Dadant..

 

[Finman]

You had a while ago hot weathers in the UK. It that the reason for dead queen?

When day temps are 25 C, dead quees appear.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I thought that but how long can you leave them without a queen considering I don’t get the new queen until 5th Oct?

Sounds fine to me - as you're not doing a 'straight swap' introduction, you want them hopelessly queenless, a few weeks won't matter.

 

[Brendan14]

Sounds fine to me - as you're not doing a 'straight swap' introduction, you want them hopelessly queenless, a few weeks won't matter.

Thanks for that

 

[HarryO]

I have used MAQS since it’s release without any problems, ever, (between 5 to 8 hives).
1. Used on single brood Nationals with OM floors.
2. I always use the full dose.
3. I put a super on (with or without frames and stores, ie completely empty super (eke like) sometimes or with stores frames or empty comb ). Just whatever I have available.
4. I leave the entrance block out (I know it is said “with OMF makes no difference”).
5. I place the two strips on in the evening so that the cooler conditions mean that that there is not massive initial release of the treatment because of a high day time temperature.
6. I leave 3 or 4 days after an inspection/manipulation before using.
BUT I try to follow the instructions precisely, giving plenty of ventilation.
To be fair MAQS Company do give a number of guidance “does and don’ts”.
Like most treatments or beekeeper interventions there are “anecdotal tales of woe”.
I am not a salesperson for MAQS but thought it would be of interest to some to hear of real life experiences of using MAQS. What a single beekeepers experiences are worth as opposed to scientific studies/evidence I leave to the individual’s judgement.

 

[beeno]

You had a while ago hot weathers in the UK. It that the reason for dead queen?

When day temps are 25 C, dead quees appear.

I chose the right temp this year particularly for the first three days and all is well with my Qs. I did notice on the Beesource forum though that it is thought that there is a problem with using out of date MAQS (which by the way is unlawful), as the paper which acts as a wick deteriorates and releases the formic acid too quickly leading to an overdose.

 

[beeno]

I thought that but how long can you leave them without a queen considering I don’t get the new queen until 5th Oct?

Brood is as important as the queen. You have got three weeks after all the brood has emerged.