Views on LASI Queens at the end of the season

[user 3509]

Those of your that purchased Lasi Queens this year can I ask what sort of season you had with them? Our local association purchased some mated queens and they were either killed by the other bees or superseded within weeks of being introduced into the hive. What results did you get?

 

[Hivemaker.]

they were either killed by the other bees or superseded within weeks of being introduced into the hive.

Why?

 

[Fusion_power]

Why indeed. Perhaps not related, but I've had problems requeening any of my mite resistant colonies. The only method that works consistently is to let the colony raise their own queen which also means 30% possibility the new queen is lost before she starts laying. Otherwise, a push in cage is the best option for intro of a new queen.

 

[Magwat]

I introduced one successfully to the half brood of a brood and a half colony then when she was laying well recombined with the other bit. She has carried on laying well. I can't comment yet on hygienic traits (but that colony did have the lowest mite drop when I used MAQs) but they are the most docile colony I've ever had. The last time I opened them up I thought they had all died or absconded because not one bee poked its head up between the frames for a look.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have one that was bought in July and had built up reasonably well owing to an injection of more bees via a caught cast swarm.
Varroa drop after OAV has been minor. I have spotted the odd worker bee pupa on the landing board and this morning I spotted one being taken out and dropped like a bomb. I will see what they do with frozen or pin pricked brood next year.
The other bought at the same time has been a different story. The bees decided to make supersedure cells on three occasions then tore them down. The colony has been united with another on different size frames so I have left both boxes in place and as I haven't bothered looking in I can't confirm she is still there.

 

[Tremyfro]

Mine was an unmarked queen. She swept into the Beeyard...swinging her mop and bucket. The nuc she was united with liked her and she was soon roaming the hive. My girls told her she had to go out and meet the local Welsh lads...she was rather horrified...being a refined bee from the SE....however, the girls told to get going...so nervously, she tucked up her skirts and flew out into the Welsh countryside. Accompanied by a few girls from the hive she flew up and away. She didn't understand what the lads were saying but she felt the lurve.
She asked the way back to the Beeyard but didn't quite remember the directions. So she flew into the nuc next door. The bees were confused for a moment as they were waiting for a new queen to emerge....but Bossypants soon dispatched her and took over...directing all the cleaning rotas....insisting the cobwebs were removed in all the corners. She didn't like their slovenly ways at all.
She sent out her reformed girls to spread the word around the Beeyard...there was a lot of muttering....but eventually they saw her point. Carrying banners ..which said....'Ban the Varroa'....and....'Out Out Out'.
The varroa fought back...infiltrating any dark corner they could find but the diligent girls swept their brooms everywhere!
The summer wore on and all the girls in the Beeyard were exhausted from their extra cleaning duties...huddling together and forming anti LASI factions...the feeling ran high and eventually they sent an emissary to Bossypants.....even her own girls were horrified at the tone of the message.
So the next day they quietly packed overnight bags and picking a busy moment in the Beeyard they slipped out...flying low...under the radar .....into the Welsh Valleys.
In the Beeyard there was great rejoicing....mops, buckets, dusters flew around as they were tossed out. After the girls recovered from the excitement they all agreed that they had learnt a valuable lesson. They learnt that keeping the varroa invasions under control helped all the baby bees to emerge healthy and strong. So when the rhubarb smoke came....they shrugged off off any remaining Clingons....there weren't many left and the Beeyard Lady was pleased.

 

[B+.]

Mine was an unmarked queen.

Eloguently put, but, not evidence of a genetic trait.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If either of mine have to be split I will keep a new queen and see what she brings

 

[Tremyfro]

Eloguently put, but, not evidence of a genetic trait.

Ah...a bit of auto correct there!...was meant to say unmated queen...and she was marked. So we knew where she ended up!

 

[B+.]

meant to say unmated queen...and she was marked. So we knew where she ended up!

Even so, you should only see a difference in the queens own offspring. Not in workers laid by the previous queen or any others in the apiary.
Ideally, you should observe the same behaviour in sister queens mated to the same drones - an open mated queen can't possibly provide this, so, the evidence is much less certain.

 

[Dadnlad]

Made up a nuc and introduced LASI virgin in July
Successful mating (well so far) and laying reasonably well, but not great
Buildup was slow until late summer when I combined with a dronelaying nuc
Still taking syrup, but nearly enough stores to overwinter, so hopefull of a full year next year

 

[Finman]

.
What is the price of those university queens?

But Lasi virgin? I does not make much sense. It should be mated that the whole genome is hygienic Lasi.

 

[B+.]

.
I does not make much sense. It should be mated that the whole genome is hygienic Lasi.

Its difficult to compare the anecdotal evidence because we don't even know if the queens (virgin or mated) are all daughters of the same dam. Ideally, they should be mated to the same group of dones too.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

.
What is the price of those university queens?

But Lasi virgin? I does not make much sense. It should be mated that the whole genome is hygienic Lasi.

Yes I've never seen the point.

 

[REDWOOD]

+1


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Erichalfbee]

I agree too.
LASI say the hygienic traits are highly inheritable.
Last time I looked they had % figures for hygienic behaviour for the virgin queens they send out but I can't find anything on the site now

 

[Cazza]

My queen was added to a nuc in July. Build up has been excellent, temper is good and varroa drop with Apiguard low. The proof of my pudding will be next season.
Cazza

 

[Tremyfro]

Even so, you should only see a difference in the queens own offspring. Not in workers laid by the previous queen or any others in the apiary.
Ideally, you should observe the same behaviour in sister queens mated to the same drones - an open mated queen can't possibly provide this, so, the evidence is much less certain.

Ha ha...you do know it was a joke? Actually...it could be that the whole idea of hygienic queens is probably a joke too. Although...it is true that my bees had a strangely low varroa drop after Vaping this year!

 

[Finman]

...it could be that the whole idea of hygienic queens is probably a joke too. Although...it is true !

I do not laugh at all.

I wonder how university can be on open markets.
According competition laws queen rearing in university is supported by tax payed workers, and system disturbs open competition.

But biggest humbug is that queens are said to cure almist all diseases. There are no tests about diseases.

Hygienic bees is an old thing. Nothin odd in it. But a fume of big humbug is flying on air. And it is not a joke.

But, it is tax payer's advantage that university does practical work in beekeeping and do not only research all kind of odd things.
.
.

 

[Finman]

-
What is happening in Australia

Just example what they are doing out there. But this sentence is interesting: The lack of orders meant the program was no longer financially viable.

and this: There was no significant difference in
hygienic behaviour between unselected and selected


long time that hygienic bee breeding

http://honeybee.org.au/programs/queen-bee-breeding/

Honey bee council

Queen Bee Breeding Program Data – Latest News
Hygienic Behaviour Australian Queen Bee Breeding Program June 2015 Update (PDF)
Hygienic Behaviour in the AQBBP 2014 – Bee Scientifics (PDF)
Hygienic Behaviour Report 2014 – Bee Scientifics (PDF)
Queen evaluation data 2011 – 2012 VIC (PDF)
Queen Annual Report 2011 (PDF)
Gretchen Queen Sale (PDF)
Queen evaluation data 2009 -2010 NSW (PDF)
Queen evaluation data for 2009 -2010 VIC (PDF)
Queen evaluation data 2009 – 2010 TAS (PDF)
Queen evaluation data 2007 – 2008 QLD and NSW (PDF)