Starting with only laying queen

[wigwag]

Well is it possible to start with just a laying queen and 3 or 4 drones, or impossible ? What do you do in this situation i mean use a nuc? and if it is possible how long before you can transfer to a hive ?

ww

 

[wightbees]

I don't know but wouldn't 3 or 4 workers be better?

 

[Poly Hive]

A complete waste of a queen.

PH

 

[MuswellMetro]

Well is it possible to start with just a laying queen and 3 or 4 drones, or impossible ? What do you do in this situation i mean use a nuc? and if it is possible how long before you can transfer to a hive ?

ww

No, both queen and drones need workers to feed them, Drone do not collect food nor normally mate with their own queen as you get diploid drones....and who would collect pollen and nectar to feed any brood, make wax or the queen...?

 

[oliver90owner]

No. Not even if they were five workers!

RAB

 

[MuswellMetro]

No. Not even if they were five workers!

RAB

virgin Queen and a cup full of workers...and let the queen find her own drones in a mateing zone miles away

 

[Poly Hive]

Can we acknowledge please a total waste of potential.

and to move on how would we succeed with the issue?

A mated queen.... and?

PH

 

[wigwag]

Great thanks everyone. but as polyhive wrote how to move on with just a laying queen. Buy a full nuc perhaps or somehow get some worker bees ?

ww

 

[buzz lightyear]

2 / 3 frames of workers. Including 1 frame of stores (necter and pollen). Plus heat and sunshine, no wind or rain.

 

[victor meldrew]

Well is it possible to start with just a laying queen and 3 or 4 drones, or impossible ? What do you do in this situation i mean use a nuc? and if it is possible how long before you can transfer to a hive ?

ww

Forget talk of queens and drones , invest in a good bee book , you obviously require an awful lot of knowledge before embarking on your quest .
I'm sorry if my response is a little abrupt but my advice is rock solid

John Wilkinson

 

[Onge]

 

[oliver90owner]

Your question was answered. A modicum of previous reading, either on the internet or, preferably, a good book would have made the OP realise the futility of the situation, the way bees reproduce and the very basic life cycle of the honey bee.

There is nowhere to go with a queen and 3 drones! Full stop. This is, after all, a 'beekeeping' forum and should not be trying to educate those who have not even read the basics on wiki, in a basic bee book, or whatever.

RAB

 

[tonybloke]

Your question was answered. A modicum of previous reading, either on the internet or, preferably, a good book would have made the OP realise the futility of the situation, the way bees reproduce and the very basic life cycle of the honey bee.

There is nowhere to go with a queen and 3 drones! Full stop. This is, after all, a 'beekeeping' forum and should not be trying to educate those who have not even read the basics on wiki, in a basic bee book, or whatever.

RAB

 

[Repwoc]

Well is it possible to start with just a laying queen and 3 or 4 drones, or impossible ? What do you do in this situation i mean use a nuc? and if it is possible how long before you can transfer to a hive ?

ww

How did you acquire a laying queen + 3 (or 4? Can't be that hard to tell surely?) drones?

I know it's a seller's market, but selling nucs that small is really taking the mickey.

 

[bushman1872]

Your question was answered. A modicum of previous reading, either on the internet or, preferably, a good book would have made the OP realise the futility of the situation, the way bees reproduce and the very basic life cycle of the honey bee.

There is nowhere to go with a queen and 3 drones! Full stop. This is, after all, a 'beekeeping' forum and should not be trying to educate those who have not even read the basics on wiki, in a basic bee book, or whatever.

RAB

Err it would be nice to give the guy some answers rather than useless twaddle about what the forum should or shouldn't be. The guy might have read books but is simply asking a question to other members of the forum so don't just shoot him down in flames, not very nice and not very helpful. There is NO such thing as a daft question, your response may well put him off asking further questions for fear of being made to look like an idiot!!!

Wig wag- I would try and join a local association they can give valuable help and advice and may well be able to hook you up with a swarm which would give you a good start and would probably be free.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Err it would be nice to give the guy some answers rather than useless twaddle about what the forum should or shouldn't be. The guy might have read books but is simply asking a question to other members of the forum so don't just shoot him down in flames, not very nice and not very helpful. There is NO such thing as a daft question, your response may well put him off asking further questions for fear of being made to look like an idiot!!!

Wig wag- I would try and join a local association they can give valuable help and advice and may well be able to hook you up with a swarm which would give you a good start and would probably be free.

Hooper tell you what works, but does not tell you what does not work...nowhere have i read that you cant just start with a laying queen ( ie like bubblebees do) so it was a valid question

 

[victor meldrew]

Hang on forum police ,
This was post no 18 not no 1 , going back to September last year for heavens sake !

John Wilkinson

 

[Hombre]

I don't suppose that the queen made it through the winter then John? unlike the Bubble bees mentioned by MuswelMetro.

Remember you heard it here first . . . Another Omlet product no doubt.