still worried about the queens

northy1983 · May 26, 2011

so, it been nearly a month since i split my original hive (hive 1), the old queen in hive 2 now, then unknowlingly i should of destroyed the remaining queen cells. As a newbee to beekeeping, im still learning. the result was hive 1 split itself again as there was still more than one queen cell in. The swarm went into a nearby tree and this was but in a new hive. (hive 3).

a couple weeks later i still couldnt see the new queens in hive 1 and 3, no eggs or capped brood. the advice i got given is to wait and be patient, now its been nearly a month and the situation is still the same, except its very obvious the numbers have dropped quite alot in 1 and 3.

there is a hell of alot of drones in hive 1 and 3, where the new queens should be, but virtually none in hive 2, where the old queen is. The behaviour in all 3 hive is good, they all seem calm and know what they are doing. There are foragers in hive 1 and 3, but the numbers have dropped alarmingly ive noticed.

i know the weather has started to become worse lately,which could delay any mating process( may explain the drones??) (if there are any queens in hives 1 and 3), but im worried about the numbers falling alot, and see that the only option im facing is to merge all three hives together and start from scratch again, before the season disappears. maybe give them 1 more week?

I need some advice if anyone can help out here??

cheers

Black Comb · May 26, 2011

Well I'm in the same boat. Bees went mad in April and some hives threw up swarm cells so I did "standard" A/S on 25th & 26th April. I'm still waiting for them to start laying. Put test frame in one yesterday. 3 more to check tomorrow. In your situation I would wait a little longer before putting in a test frame of eggs and open brood from hive 2. Be careful about merging because if there is a virgin in there she may kill your laying queen so always use a test frame in this situation.

northy1983 · May 26, 2011

well my first hive was ultra big, packed them up, and they responded as they should. have that felling ill be starting and ending the year with just one hive

RoseCottage · May 26, 2011

Have you been through and looked at the frames to see what if anything is going on...do you have a laying worker putting down drones? Final stage of a desperate hive.

If you are struggling with numbers you could combine the two weaker colonies to gain a boost (newspaper or sugar syrup sprayed on them all)

I would check out a laying drone scenario
I would use a test frame with a mix of eggs, larvae, and capped brood
I would keep a single qc if they are made
I would supplement forage with feed

If you do not get qc's made then you need to really find the queens and perhaps remove them and use a test frame again.

But more experience will be along to help I'm sure

All the best,
Sam

Silvercleave · May 26, 2011

Yes me a newie as well, did an AS on April 28, then a cast was thrown on 16 May and ended in tall tree overhanging stream and not possible to get at, today the 26 May they are still there, just hanging around so as to speak.
Any suggestions welcome

Ian

oliver90owner · May 26, 2011

'Nearly a month' is the key.

Queen cells needed to be sealed presumably so well over a week before the virgin even emerged.

Take that off (nearly) a month and you are left with perhaps well under three weeks. Read the books and you will get an idea of how long it may take to start laying. And, additionally, this is not the first queen to emerge!

RAB