will a virgin queen still mate in sept?

[Jess132]

Basically one of my hives is queenless, the bees in the other hives are still producing charged queens cells. If i put a charged queen cell in with the hive and leave them to it will the queen still mate? If the mating is unsuccessful is it too late in the year to introduce a purchased mated queen? This is a strong colony and i'm worried if i don't act quickly they might not make their winter bees.

 

[the beehive lodge]

here's hoping

If all fails could you unit and go into winter with an even strong colony

 

[Jess132]

didn't even think of that. I'm still in the blind panic stages of realising that i'm queenless thanks

 

[Luka22]

I would probably give it a go as well. It will get tight, but I guess it all depends on the weather. If it stays fine, than you could be lucky. We still have drones around in one of hour hives and I thing there are others as well. So she should find some to mate with I would think, but probably all depending on the temperature.

Good Luck !

 

[Walrus]

I am keeping my fingers crossed that a virgin queen in one of my hives will get mated & make winter bees, but if things don't work out I can always combine with another colony. Good luck with it

 

[itma]

You might be lucky - I was last year. But then I'm way South of you.

Combining is one option.
Running in a new queen is another. At this time of the year there is usually a surplus of queens as a result of people combining late swarms and weaker (for whatever reason) colonies. If she has 'awkward' genes, you could re-re-queen next year when the survival pressure was off.


/// choices, choices!

 

[Jess132]

Thanks for all the advice, i'll give it a go see what happens.

 

[ratcatcher]

I think you'll have better luck with buying in a queen, mated or not, rather than waiting on cells to hatch/mature

 

[Jess132]

I think you'll have better luck with buying in a queen, mated or not, rather than waiting on cells to hatch/mature

Yeah, I'm worried its too late in the yr and that this good weather won't last longer than this week.

I think I will buy a new queen tomorrow. I dont want to chance it, this is my fave colony too.

 

[Anduril]

Similar situation to me. One queen should have emerged by today, my other hive by the weekend. If I have a poor build up after that I will have to combine, either together or with other hives. Annoying but the bees like testing us this year.

 

[alanf]

I think I will buy a new queen tomorrow. I dont want to chance it, this is my fave colony too.

If they really are queenless, then the genetics of that colony are at an end. On the outside chance that she's just off lay and hiding I'd make up a nuc and try a ripe QC. Worst outcome is you unite the lot later and can try a split in spring.

 

[Rod Dawson]

Where can you buy a queen?

 

[For want of a better word]

Where can you buy a queen?

At this time of the year ???? GOOD QUESTION !​

 

[taff..]

are you absolutely certain that you really are Q-? how do you know?

the queen may have stopped laying for one reason or another, apiguard being just one.

 

[itma]

Where can you buy a queen?

At this time of the year ???? GOOD QUESTION !​

Yes, many will be being given away!

A good place to start might be http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=60

 

[rockdoc]

If I'm right were you to try a QC from another hive and the original Q is still in residence she will dispatch it, or the workers will pull it down as unwanted.

 

[For want of a better word]

If I'm right were you to try a QC from another hive and the original Q is still in residence she will dispatch it, or the workers will pull it down as unwanted.

Therefore.. as you have another thriving colony. ??????????????????????/...
Try a test frame ?​

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I have quite a few mate very recently, with still a few more to do so. It is weather dependent but superceedure regularly happens at this time of the year and many don't even know it is happening (I know a bit different but the mating is the same)...Mating has been poor this year in general so we will be seeing lot's of superceedure and queen problems in the coming 9 months because of this. Added to this I think Nosema will take a heavy toll on some due to stressed on bees as well. Early september I am not too worried about potential to mate atm and I am quite far north. Also need to make sure colony has the right quantity of bees and food atm to ease other pressures to allow the newly mated queen to fluorish.

 

[enrico]

are you absolutely certain that you really are Q-? how do you know?

the queen may have stopped laying for one reason or another, apiguard being just one.

Be very careful....hives often seem queen less but........ You can combine in two weeks time......be patient until then if you are not one hundred percent sure that there really is no queen
E

 

[Jess132]

i know, this colony has already swarmed this yr!!! I united it with the smaller colony today. so fingers crossed, they except the queen and the new bees.

I seen something i was not expecting today too (when i didnt have my camera to hand). The small colony that i've united had an ants nest under it which they'd built up onto the pallet that the hive sits on and within the dirt was absolutely loads of was moth larvae!