When to use a test frame

[Obee1]

It's 28 days since my hive was split and the original site was left queenless. The weather has been quite cold for the past 2 weeks and I have a strong suspicion the new queen is not working out. I only left one queen cell which I last saw probably the day after it was sealed. The second cell I let be sealed I removed to a nuc and it failed. All other queen emergency cells were removed ( I hope!) I have sat on my hands since then! So.... When can I peek into said hive to check for eggs? If there are none what is the earliest I could put in a test frame. Would the presence of an unmated virgin queen stop bees building queen cells? The weather looks good today, but gets rainy/overcast from tomorrow.

Btw there was a very small amount of pollen being trucked in on the weekend. Do they take in pollen if there is no brood to feed? Is this a sign queen has started laying?

Obee

 

[Erichalfbee]

Today looks promising. It might be the only day your virgin can get out to mate.
Look in on the next good day.
If you have a virgin in the hive they will not draw queen cells on a test frame.
Pollen going into the box doesn't really mean anything....sorry

 

[Obee1]

Thanks erica

So if the Virgin queen exists - even in her unmated, as yet, state - there is nothing to be lost by placing a test frame in. At the very least it will supply brood, soon to be bees, for the colony and the donor hive is thriving so can afford to give up a frame of brood.

Or is there a sneaky downside I've overlooked. (there usually is in this beek lark)

Obee

 

[oliver90owner]

even in her unmated, as yet, state-

Sorry to have to enlighten you but the above is a silly thing to write. Birds and bees facts:

By definition a virgin is unmated and when virgin has mated, she is no longer a virgin!

Bit like drawn and undrawn foundation, or, ' How much honey does a brood box full of honey contain?' All nonsensical descriptions.

 

[dn170221]

If you other colony can afford it I would add the frame of eggs. If nothing else it should give them a boost if they don't need it for queen cells!

 

[RogueDrone]

Giving them a frame of eggs will also stop you getting laying workers as they will have brood sent.

 

[Obee1]

even in her unmated, as yet, state-

Sorry to have to enlighten you but the above is a silly thing to write. Birds and bees facts:

By definition a virgin is unmated and when virgin has mated, she is no longer a virgin!

Bit like drawn and undrawn foundation, or, ' How much honey does a brood box full of honey contain?' All nonsensical descriptions.

I refereed to her as a Virgin but was asking about courses of action open to me whether she became a mated queen, remained a virgin or just didn't exist. I'm quite sure everyone who I was hoping would reply,understood. You were not on that list as you can't resist sniping and belittling anyone who doesn't have your beekeeping skills. Rumour has it you were a newbie once. Shame you put off so many others from asking for help so that they can become knowledgeable. You have been banned from the newbie section, maybe it's time you took a long hard look at your posts before you are banned here too.

Manners cost nothing.

 

[beeno]

Hi Obee1,
I know you want to plan ahead if you don't find any eggs, but 21 days after emergence is ok to look. I always mark the frame with the QC and check that she has emerged. Then I check after 12-15 days. From the other thread about temp. required for mating it would appear that they might mate at lower temps., but of course the mating may not be as successful which is another story. Here's hoping for eggs! If not test frame at the same time.

 

[Obee1]

Hi Obee1,
I know you want to plan ahead if you don't find any eggs, but 21 days after emergence is ok to look. I always mark the frame with the QC and check that she has emerged. Then I check after 12-15 days. From the other thread about temp. required for mating it would appear that they might mate at lower temps., but of course the mating may not be as successful which is another story. Here's hoping for eggs! If not test frame at the same time.

Hi beeno. You look to check she emerged. When do you do that? I have left my hive alone incase I disturb the queen so have no idea if she emerged or perished. Now when I do look in the queen cell will likely be gone and I won't know what happened till eggs or a test frame tell me. I really don't do patience very well.

 

[Hawklord]

From an egg to a laying queen can take 6 weeks. What date was the queen cell capped?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi Obee1,
I know you want to plan ahead if you don't find any eggs, but 21 days after emergence is ok to look.

I agree but Obee and I are both in Wales where the weather has been pants. Although it has been sunny the last week or so...off and on...it has been very windy. Today is a different matter, the skies are blue, there is little wind. An ideal day for a Welsh queen to mate and you don't want to be searching her home while she is out. That's why I cautioned that Obee wait.

Obee......it's a good idea to check your queen has emerged and I like to somewhere between emergence and mating. I know exactly when she should emerge and try to look two days after.

 

[Obee1]

I agree but Obee and I are both in Wales where the weather has been pants. Although it has been sunny the last week or so...off and on...it has been very windy. Today is a different matter, the skies are blue, there is little wind. An ideal day for a Welsh queen to mate and you don't want to be searching her home while she is out. That's why I cautioned that Obee wait.

Obee......it's a good idea to check your queen has emerged and I like to somewhere between emergence and mating. I know exactly when she should emerge and try to look two days after.

I'm really wishing I had checked but I went away for a mini break On her due date. As you say today is gawjus Let's hope she's behind the bike sheds somewhere

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Don't panic or despair just yet - you can forget the 'two weeks to mate or forget about it' rule around here.

 

[Thymallus]

Obee......it's a good idea to check your queen has emerged and I like to somewhere between emergence and mating. I know exactly when she should emerge and try to look two days after.

It is indeed. A quick peek early am or late pm when she is unlikely to be out on the tiles. At least you will know if she has emerged....or not.
Makes the next decisions simpler.