Resilient bees despite our anxieties...

[Cuckmere couple]

inspected a colony yesterday and from last years notes noted
- marked a Q in this colony on 11/7/20 when first sign of eggs as a newly emerged Q
- 22/8/20 Q seen and 3-4 frames BIA but also a capped QC which i left (wasnt sure why with such a newly mated Q but had seen this in a colony where the brood break had left colony to question new Q as insurance policy so left them to sort)
- 2/9/20 first apiguard treatment
- 13/9/20 2nd apiguard
- then fed and left for winter

this year, i had a quick look
- 31/3/21 and saw no Q (was looking for my blue marked Q from last year and recorded not seen) and 3 frames BIA
- 18/04/21 inspected and removed an empty fondant tub from crown board....shook bees out onto CB, removed a piece of brace comb from inside tub and noticed eggs. So, recognising this is a sign of running out of space i checked the CB and sure enough there was the Q on the CB and shed been in the tub i had just shaken out, unmarked (so not my blue one, checked for traces of blue and none)

I went on to inspect and no sign of any other Q...so marked this one and let her back into colony....added a drawn comb for her to lay (6 frames BIA) and added a super

so, my conclusion and the reason for the use of 'resilient' is that this Q must have emerged and mated post 22/8/20 and during the time I was messing about with apiguard and then feeding (thymol syrup) and relatively late in the season....

thoughts, reflections, constructive feedback all welcome!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Always check your crownboard ( and QX)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Always check your crownboard ( and QX)

three times over the weekend I've found the queen wandering around on the crown board, one was a new unmarked one

 

[Antipodes]

inspected a colony yesterday and from last years notes noted
- marked a Q in this colony on 11/7/20 when first sign of eggs as a newly emerged Q
- 22/8/20 Q seen and 3-4 frames BIA but also a capped QC which i left (wasnt sure why with such a newly mated Q but had seen this in a colony where the brood break had left colony to question new Q as insurance policy so left them to sort)
- 2/9/20 first apiguard treatment
- 13/9/20 2nd apiguard
- then fed and left for winter

this year, i had a quick look
- 31/3/21 and saw no Q (was looking for my blue marked Q from last year and recorded not seen) and 3 frames BIA
- 18/04/21 inspected and removed an empty fondant tub from crown board....shook bees out onto CB, removed a piece of brace comb from inside tub and noticed eggs. So, recognising this is a sign of running out of space i checked the CB and sure enough there was the Q on the CB and shed been in the tub i had just shaken out, unmarked (so not my blue one, checked for traces of blue and none)

I went on to inspect and no sign of any other Q...so marked this one and let her back into colony....added a drawn comb for her to lay (6 frames BIA) and added a super

so, my conclusion and the reason for the use of 'resilient' is that this Q must have emerged and mated post 22/8/20 and during the time I was messing about with apiguard and then feeding (thymol syrup) and relatively late in the season....

thoughts, reflections, constructive feedback all welcome!

I hope the new queen turns out to be a good one. Thanks for sharing the story. Nice and clear.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

thanks all

yes...no QX in place as just CB and empty fondant tub.....i was pretty surprised by a sept, apiguard newly mated Q....will watch her but 6 frames BIA isnt bad for my garden colonies...2.5 miles away in a little wooded area i have 2-3 on 12+ already but its forage proximity as much as Queen performance i think

 

[Newbeeneil]

three times over the weekend I've found the queen wandering around on the crown board, one was a new unmarked one

I didn't check recently when I was going in to put a QX and super on. Went back 2 weeks later to find a super chockablock with brood!