Still no sign of a queen

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Joined
Jul 3, 2010
Messages
303
Reaction score
76
Location
Co Antrim
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
3
Am being patient still as still have no sign of a queen in hive, bees seem quite happy though and am going to give them one more week. Am going to take about 4 frames out and put these in nuc bees origionally came in and take them 3 miles away and add a queen if needs be or queen cells if I can scrounge some. The poor bees this weather is so nasty. Should I feed 1 to 1 or 2 to 1 sugar syrup?
Thank you for all the help and advice I get from this website.
 
Susan, I'm sorry your weather is so poor, if the hive stores are low you should be feeding a light syrup, 1:1 by weight
 
1:1 syrup is only stimulus feed to get a queen laying in spring (if necessary.)

2:1 is for when they need food.

I'd give them 2:1. They'll take it if they want it.
 
Am being patient still

Patently not! Your previous post was only a couple days prior to this thread.

no sign of a queen in hive

Tellus how you have ascertained this information.

Your previous posts indicate a great deal of inexperience, so I would expect your suppositions are likely flawed.

My advice would be to close them up, leave them for another couple of weeks, at least, and then have a quick peep in the hive for indications.

Bees often survive quite well despite having a beekeeper.

RAB
 
1:1 syrup is only stimulus feed to get a queen laying in spring (if necessary.)

2:1 is for when they need food.

I'd give them 2:1. They'll take it if they want it.


Weak (1:1) syrup is more easily assimilated and is good for comb building. Thick syrup is best only for winter stores as it needs less work for the bees to evaporate the water off before capping.
 
Susan, If you are not sure what is going on in the hive, then to take out 4 frames is not the best idea. Do you have a mentor who can look at your hive and assess what's going on in there?
 
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1 :Queens hide
2: Bee eggs are very small and easily missed
3: Get someone to help you ... two pairs of Beeks eyes are better than one!

4 experienced? beeks looking at a hive the other day one saw the queen other 3 did not,,,,... until pointed out.... I was just watching and definitely saw eggs and tiny larvae!
 
Well I thought I was being patient!!!!!! But will leave them alone until I can get an expert to look at them.
 
Am being patient still as still have no sign of a queen in hive, bees seem quite happy though and am going to give them one more week. Am going to take about 4 frames out and put these in nuc bees origionally came in and take them 3 miles away and add a queen if needs be or queen cells if I can scrounge some. The poor bees this weather is so nasty. Should I feed 1 to 1 or 2 to 1 sugar syrup?
Thank you for all the help and advice I get from this website.
Best piece of of advice i was given when in your position last year was "the bees will sort it out" and, do you know what, they did.

I find myself in the same position this year, but I'm just as worried as last. repeat the mantra "the bees will sort it out" (hopefully)
 
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I was told that if you find something during inspections that you are not sure of then
1) Walk away
2) Have a cup of tea
3)Think

Then you won't do anything rash and hasty.
 
I was told that if you find something during inspections that you are not sure of then
1) Walk away
2) Have a cup of tea
3)Think

Then you won't do anything rash and hasty.

Bloomin' good advice that!!!
 
1:1 syrup is only stimulus feed to get a queen laying in spring (if necessary.)QUOTE]

Wrong!! Thick syrup 1kg to 1pt is for autumn use prior to close down for the winter. Spring feeding is 1:1 to induce buildup for the year or to induce swarming with supers removed if one wants a new queen - or a choice of same from all the QCs that they make.
 
1:1 syrup is only stimulus feed to get a queen laying in spring (if necessary.)QUOTE]

Wrong!! Thick syrup 1kg to 1pt is for autumn use prior to close down for the winter. Spring feeding is 1:1 to induce buildup for the year or to induce swarming with supers removed if one wants a new queen - or a choice of same from all the QCs that they make.

Now thats just plain confusing, mixing your kgs and pts!:willy_nilly:
 
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