Queen Mating Flights

[Millet]

I have read somewhere not to inspect colonies with Virgin Queens in them incase they are out or are about to go out on a mating flight between around 12pm to 4pm.

What i would like to know is this true because the weather here is hit and miss at the moment, most of the time we have a easterly breeze that brings the temperature down through the wind chill, however this breeze tends to ease of from around 5/6pm on wards so would the Virgins take there chance of a mating flight later on in the day if the weather is in there favour.
Cheers.
Steve.

 

[B+.]

I have read somewhere not to inspect colonies with Virgin Queens in them incase they are out or are about to go out on a mating flight between around 12pm to 4pm.

Virgin queens can be very nervous creatures. They take to the air and can be lost very easily. I would suggest that is reason enough not to disturb them.

 

[Millet]

Virgin queens can be very nervous creatures. They take to the air and can be lost very easily. I would suggest that is reason enough not to disturb them.

I did not ask that question P i know not to look in and disturb them, i flung a super frame full of bees over a fence to clear it of bees last week, when i had finished what i was doing i spotted a Virgin on the frame, when i picked the frame up the Queen took flight but i stuck the super frame in the air infront of her and she landed on it.

Anyway that was not my Question.

 

[Beefriendly]

They tend to fly during the warmest part of the day which is usually between 12-4.
Not always though...and I suspect you will find yours go off in the evening if that is warmest part of the day in your neck of the woods.
I usually reckon if it's around 12-14C you can have a quick check if you feel the need. I do it mainly to check that the virgin has emerged from the cell(s). Then I can leave things alone for a few weeks. Nothing more frustrating than waiting 3-4 weeks to find no virgin ever emerged.

 

[Millet]

They tend to fly during the warmest part of the day which is usually between 12-4.
Not always though...and I suspect you will find yours go off in the evening if that is warmest part of the day in your neck of the woods.
I usually reckon if it's around 12-14C you can have a quick check if you feel the need. I do it mainly to check that the virgin has emerged from the cell(s). Then I can leave things alone for a few weeks. Nothing more frustrating than waiting 3-4 weeks to find no virgin ever emerged.

Thanks N , i know i have virgins in there so i will leave well alone for a few weeks, they are roughly one week old now but still not mated.
From past experience with failed matings and two laying worker colonies puts me on the edge of my seat for a good while till i spot them lovely eggs and worker brood.

 

[colinc]

Personally when I have had colonies requeening from swarm cells after AS I have just left them for 3 weeks, at that point from a sealed cell usually they are not laying.
All have started laying but either due to aggression or poor laying patterns, I assume due to poor matings, 50% failed the hive tool test.


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[Millet]

Personally when I have had colonies requeening from swarm cells after AS I have just left them for 3 weeks, at that point from a sealed cell usually they are not laying.
All have started laying but either due to aggression or poor laying patterns, I assume due to poor matings, 50% failed the hive tool test.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[beeno]

They fly after 1600 hrs. I seem to recall I had one that came back 1730 hrs!

 

[Millet]

Thanks Beeno.