What is happening to the queens?

[drex]

I have 3 colonies, all result of AS, all about 3 weeks after emergence of the virgins. None showing signs of queen. Just read the test frames I put in a few days ago, and all have queen cells. I will unite tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed for the queens I bred following my first go at grafting.

 

[maddydog]

Birds, bad weather, bad luck?

 

[Teemore]

How close to each other and to Q+ colonies are your 3 new colonies? Not beyond the realms of possibility that your queens tried to go into the wrong hive, uninvited...

Swallows, Swifts and House Martins can have an appreciable impact on queen rearing efforts...

 

[For want of a better word]

Swallows, Swifts and House Martins can have an appreciable impact on queen rearing efforts...
as can neonicotinamides and all the other 'ides that pollute our planet
I wonder if the dimwit president of the USA ever read Silent Spring?..
But then I have not seen it in the audio book section!

Kioto... wasnt that one of the Japanese cities we nuksed?


God hepl us!!

Yeghes da

 

[SDM]

Swallows have hit my first batches, about 40% are awol.

 

[Jonathan]

Swallows did for me last year too. Nested in the garage and completely wrecked my queen rearing attempts and indeed some hives raising queens after swarming!

Just for the record we didn't nuc Kyoto

 

[Teemore]

I will not be using one of my out apiaries in which to get Queens mated this year because there is a thriving local population of swallows and swifts. In previous years I have "lost" a higher number of new queens from that apiary than any of my other ones.

It is disconcerting working a hive to hear a loud "crack" at your ear and then realise it was a swift changing direction after picking off a returning forager close to your head... Nice to see the birds doing well though!

 

[mbc]

I will not be using one of my out apiaries in which to get Queens mated this year because there is a thriving local population of swallows and swifts. In previous years I have "lost" a higher number of new queens from that apiary than any of my other ones.

It is disconcerting working a hive to hear a loud "crack" at your ear and then realise it was a swift changing direction after picking off a returning forager close to your head... Nice to see the birds doing well though!

Yup, live and let live.

 

[birdsandbees]

I've lost a few this year, just as well I have been rearing a few queens as I've discovered about five virgins have failed to return to full hives plus three in mating Nucs, they aren't close together either so I'm guessing it's more than poor navigation skills. put into percentages I'd say that's about 40%

 

[Eyeman]

I've lost a few this year, just as well I have been rearing a few queens as I've discovered about five virgins have failed to return to full hives plus three in mating Nucs, they aren't close together either so I'm guessing it's more than poor navigation skills. put into percentages I'd say that's about 40%

I've just had x6 3 frame mating nucs all mated and they are scattered between 6 other hives within an area of approx 5m x 4m. Overhead trees and surrounding foliage may have helped with navigation.

 

[madasafish]

I spent an entertaining Thursday pm - or at least 5 minutes- watching a pair of sparrows on foot at the side of a TBH. When there were a large number of bees at the entrance, they flew up and caught one...flew away, ate it and resumed ...

Looks like they are teaching others..:-(

 

[Millet]

I'm on tender hooks at the moment i have two virgins Queen that are surrounded by farm out buildings with a healthy population of Swallows, we don't help matters by allowing them to nest in the coal shed, i just hope with fingers crossed that there will be a large number of other flying insects on the day of mating flights.

 

[For want of a better word]

Just for the record we didn't nuc Kyoto

WE have never Nuked any other country... only the USA ever carried out such despicable acts!
Fake news I am afraid... but just the sort of thing trump would say?

But there are bigger fish to fry with our local MP saying that she is glad there are food banks here in Cornwall.......
and it is raining with 49 inspections now a good few days overdue!!!

Yeghes da