Why did they kill her?

[RosieMc]

Hive swarmed on 13th August. Captured swarm and put in new hive. Spotted virgin queen on 24 August and marked.

Looked today to see if she was laying, No. Nothing. Maybe it's too early for her. Then when looking further into the brood box (gently) I saw the bees balling the new marked queen thus killing her. I did not kill her. Honest

Why? Oh why? Why did they kill her? She looked OK - that is apart from being dead! The bees were lovely and calm.

Not like the hive next door who also swarmed on the same day. Nasty. But 'something' is laying as there is lavea on two sides of foundation.

I can't see that there would have been two virgins in this hive as the time span is too long. The bees are on about 5 frames.

Just having a moan and a grumble. I'm off to check the two parent colonies now. Wish me luck.

 

[mazzamazda]

Maybe to do with marking, virgin queens are not good to mark for this reason.

Ive got to question marking anyway, I dont even look for the queen 95% of the time, evidence of the queens presence is enough.

Mark

 

[drstitson]

queens should only be marked once proven.

1. mark may make her prone to predation on mating flight
2. marking may damage her
3. marking may make her seem "different" to the bees who don't have strong pheromone drive to ensure good behaviour.
4. virgins should be left well alone until laying anyway.

 

[Nose Ma]

There is a member here that marks those destined for replacement in some outlandish colour too.

I don't, partially as per the other poster I look for evidence of her, partly because I have the manual dexterity of a camel and have crushed countless drones practising. Oh, and with the Himalayan Balsalm on it doesn't help find her anyway - they all look the same again.

Back to the question - why did they kill her - I have no idea. Assuming you saw the "et tu Brute?" moment it would seem odd to leave her a week after marking.

 

[drstitson]

"There is a member here that marks those destined for replacement in some outlandish colour too."

i was given the tip about using the bright pink pen to mark queens - mostly for those in caught swarms and therefore of uncertain age BUT very easy to see so for some people good for use on all queens.

 

[bobster]

Ive got to question marking anyway, I dont even look for the queen 95% of the time, evidence of the queens presence is enough.

Mark

Bobster

 

[RosieMc]

I don't think it was to do with marking the queen. She was marked on the 24th August and they balled her on 31st August - that's 7 days later.

Not only that but I checked the other two hives where the swarms came from and I can't see any evidence of either a queen or eggs/lavea etc.

I need someone's shoulder to cry on

 

[drstitson]

the other two hives which swarmed are also less than 3 weeks since - so less than 2 weeks since new queens emerged - they are not mated yet.

 

[itma]

... Spotted virgin queen on 24 August and marked. ...

Newb question.

Is it OK (let alone usual) to mark a queen BEFORE her mating flight?

 

[Poly Hive]

Yes it is OK, I have marked many many virgins and they have mated successfully.

There is validity to not bothering to find the queen in a normal inspection provided the signs are there that she is performing normally.

There is no validity to not marking and then claiming supercedure (for instance) is not common, as how can you tell?

If you have no dexterity then perhaps handling bees is not a wonderful idea?

As to why they killed her It is said often that opening the hive too often is a bad idea, and when a virgin is in residence, and know to be so then leaving the bees well alone for a good three weeks seems to me to be a very good plan. Nuff said.

PH

 

[VEG]

Why go into the hive a week later if you knew it was a virgin queen?
Better to leave them to it for a good few weeks before looking through them.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

If you have no dexterity then perhaps handling bees is not a wonderful idea?

Harsh Poly. I know a beekeeper of 20+ years experience who's hands shake like a leaf as a result of illness, yet still gets a huge amount of pleasure out of the craft and is a good keeper. While marking or clipping may be preferable, its not essential.

 

[BBG]

We saw exactly that yesterday, my OH picked up the frantic bundle and placed on top of the frames where they rolled around until they fell back to the floor.

A tussle took place and they went under other frames. We closed up and left them to it.

We have film and will post here when loaded to some Youtube account.

 

[Poly Hive]

Monsieur Abeille?

My comment is honest. The problem is far too many stroke egos and so incompetence is praised falsely.

Further in threads like this you have to remember that there are many new comers to the craft for whom relatively simple things like clipping queens are perceived as momentous events, not the simple tasks they are.

Thus the balance is skewed and the perception is further twisted out of true.

PH