Strange queen

[Obee1]

My freebie Welsh virgin I helped emerge was popped in a nuc previously used for hosting a queen. The new queen arrived 18 July but is laying some eggs double or triple in a cell - but at the bottom only not sides. She's too small to mark in a queen catcher so I marked as she walked hence blue wings. I filmed the bees as they were tending to her needs.
Anyone ever seen a queen this size?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e5659Gcz844

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have one. Black too. Not laying yet though.

 

[Finman]

My freebie Welsh virgin I helped emerge was popped in a nuc previously used for hosting a queen. The new queen arrived 18 July but is laying some eggs double or triple in a cell - but at the bottom only not sides. She's too small to mark in a queen catcher so I marked as she walked hence blue wings. I filmed the bees as they were tending to her needs.
Anyone ever seen a queen this size?

][/quote] Change it fast before th...ult to see smaller. That is too small enough.

 

[B+.]

Change it fast before the hive looses its workers.

I didn't watch the whole video but it seemed as though the workers were feeding / grooming the queen and she was showing no interest in looking for empty cells to lay eggs. Newly mated queens will sometimes lay multiple eggs for a short time before they settle down and regulate their laying properly. More than a few days is excessive though. It could be that she's a drone laying queen. Do you have any with raised cappings? If so, you should consider replacing / uniting

 

[nantmoel]

I have never seen a Queen so small and if I may say it an odd shape! Look like a big worker bee rather than a queen. Strange things happen in Wales as well you know. I would be more tempted to replace her.

 

[Jimmys Mum]

My first impression was of a worker with CPV given the black shiny abdomen.

Is this the Welsh freebie or the one which arrived on the 18th July?

 

[Obee1]

My first impression was of a worker with CPV given the black shiny abdomen.

Is this the Welsh freebie or the one which arrived on the 18th July?

Indeed she is that one - at least I think it is as she wasn't marked. However that queen was very black. I too wondered about the shiny abdomen. She was destined to be a spare queen but I think she will be beheaded.

If you watch the vid at about the 2 minute mark I walk round the frame to get a better view of her abdomen. There are some shots of the workers surrounding her in a circle and they seem obsessed with her butt. Just before filming she was trying to lay in empty cells but the workers seemed to lick at her butt to stop her.

 

[B+.]

If she came from an emergency cell, it is possible that they had raised her from a larva that was too old. Her wings look almost the same length as her abdomen so she is very worker-like. This could explain the egg-laying problem

 

[Tremyfro]

If she is laying extra eggs in the cells....will they all emerge at the same time?

 

[Swarm]

Good night Vienna.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If she is laying extra eggs in the cells....will they all emerge at the same time?

The egg police will deal with them

 

[Tremyfro]

At least the colony will grow quickly with 3 eggs per cells...triplets!

 

[B+.]

If she is laying extra eggs in the cells....will they all emerge at the same time?

Not necessarily. The bees will come along and remove (at least) 1 of them.

 

[beeno]

She is a very fine example of an emergency scrub queen. I killed a few of those weeks ago now, but luckily this colony also had some primary cells.

 

[Erichalfbee]

At least the colony will grow quickly with 3 eggs per cells...triplets!

The trouble with this comment is that beginners will come along and believe it.
Finman is right. There is no room for sentiment here. Get rid and re-queen or combine. That's what I will do with mine

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The trouble with this comment is that beginners will come along and believe it.
Finman is right. There is no room for sentiment here. Get rid and re-queen or combine. That's what I will do with mine

(even with the Finman bit )

 

[Obee1]

(even with the Finman bit )

She was a freebie queen that I only brought home to save her from a squishing. I'm too sentimental. I will however get the squishometer out now.
RIP midget shiny black triple laying queen

 

[Tremyfro]

Awww..still haven't been able to do that...

 

[Obee1]

When I looked in the nuc the eggs that's have started being capped now are drone brood. Have shown this film to bee inspector. Apparently I have a laying worker. I have also noticed today one or two drones with DWV - the first time I've seen this for myself. Seems this shininess of the 'queen' was an ominous sign. As this was only a small nuc made up as a temporary home for introducing a queen using the smallest amount of bees possible they will now be evicted and shaken onto the floor. It has been very educational. My first laying workers, my first DWV and my first and last attempt to mark a bee whilst walking across the comb.

 

[GlenJ]

When I looked in the nuc the eggs that's have started being capped now are drone brood. Have shown this film to bee inspector. Apparently I have a laying worker. I have also noticed today one or two drones with DWV - the first time I've seen this for myself. Seems this shininess of the 'queen' was an ominous sign. As this was only a small nuc made up as a temporary home for introducing a queen using the smallest amount of bees possible they will now be evicted and shaken onto the floor. It has been very educational. My first laying workers, my first DWV and my first and last attempt to mark a bee whilst walking across the comb.

This bee keeping is a steep learning curve - and if you care about it, it seems to stay steep - respect for sharing this Obee1!