Author Topic: Queen mating problems (Read 3981 times)

ian michael davison · « **on:** January 17, 2006, 10:50:21 am »

Hi all
In the UK at the moment we have a guy raising problems with queen matings, young queens failing, becoming drone layers and early supersedure.

At this time his work is in a very early stage and most seems to focus on the effects of varroa and maybe effects/residues from some control methods.

I was wondering if anyone had seen anything similar or reports from other areas of the world.

Regards Ian

Robo · « **Reply #1 on:** January 17, 2006, 12:47:20 pm »

I have not seen anything personally, but do remember a handful of folks on the forums have problems as you described last year. If I remember correctly, it might have been one particular beeder in Ohio that folks where having trouble with. Hard to know if it was varroa induced or just poor practices.

ian michael davison · « **Reply #2 on:** January 17, 2006, 12:54:36 pm »

http://www.bbka.org.uk/news/news/bbka/research-into-poor-queens.shtml
Hi all
Have a look at the above and see what you think

Regards Ian

Finsky · « **Reply #3 on:** January 17, 2006, 01:05:47 pm »

I have had varroa nearby 20 years. I have not noticed any special.

That I have noticed. I had in some mating nucs much mites. I put to nucs a little strip of Apistan. After that 2 queens was not able to lay eggs properly. Nucs were 2 frames.

In queen gade I gived a tiny apistan strip and it affected a while. After that queen was not able to lay eggs.

Robo · « **Reply #4 on:** January 17, 2006, 01:15:38 pm »

I have only been raising my own queens about 4 years now, and can't say I see a high rate of failures getting them mated. The occasional failures can for the most part be chalked up to my doings. There are a few cases that the queen disappears and I assume she never made it back from a mating flight . I do however see a trend with commercial queen longevity. A 2-3 year old queen these days is a rarity.

I too believe there is potentially a problem, but have a gut feel it is caused by the chemicals being used to treat for varroa rather than the varroa itself.

ian michael davison · « **Reply #5 on:** January 17, 2006, 02:12:09 pm »

Hi all
Robo you may indeed be right but i think it may well be a combination of causes rather than one in particular.There was a recent study in the Journal of Apiculture research showing changes in enzyms produced by drones that had been attacked by mites. We are all aware of the affects on the life span of any bee that has been attacked, and as it takes a drone a few weeks after emerging to reach maturity this could also affect the fact he may be firing blanks.

With regard to Queen longevity that has also been noted in the Uk. I recently spoke to an area bee inspector and one thing he and his associates nationwide have noticed is that even 1 year old queens are trying to swarm or the bees are trying to supersede a lot more in his opinion.

Regards Ian

Finsky · « **Reply #6 on:** January 17, 2006, 02:28:43 pm »

Quote from: ian michael davison

Hi all
Robo you may indeed be right but i think it may well be a combination of causes rather than one in particular.

In the morning it was speculation and now it is a fact. :P

Quote

associates nationwide have noticed is that even 1 year old queens are trying to swarm

It is very normal that 1-y queens swarm.

In Finland 2 summer ago we had awfull swarming summer. It was rainy weather which was the reason and early good spring in westtend part. Hives developed well.

If you have got carniolan blood in UK it is good to swarm. Of course German black is even worse and you perhaps have plenty of those pure nature beekeepers which like "feral bee stocks". Swarming is natural habit.

If you take daughters from swarm hives you surely get swarms.

Quote

or the bees are trying to supersede a lot more in his opinion.

This is difficult question without carefull data. "Time polishes memories".

In my opinion queens have been better and better. Insemination is one reason fot that. I am worried about desease tolerance.

ian michael davison · « **Reply #7 on:** January 17, 2006, 02:50:36 pm »

Hi Finsky
Don't believe the hype most people in the Uk DO NOT HAVE NATIVE BEES NOR WOULD THEY WANT THEM!!!!!!!!!

We do have a fair few Carniolans and i have plenty myself. Even if you think these problems are non existant that Roger has raised we would still be foolish to ignore them JUST IN CASE.

Regards Ian

Michael Bush · « **Reply #8 on:** January 17, 2006, 08:07:09 pm »

There is much documented eveidence that Apistan and Checkmite cause problems and Checkmite causes severe problems with queen fertility and drone fertility. I'd swap out all the old comb and quite using both.

My queens often last 3 years or more with good production.

ian michael davison · « **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2006, 03:26:41 am »

Hi Michael
Could you provide any links or be able to tell me were i can find any such research and documented information. The main issue is that Queen problems have been reported for hundreds of years. What is required is some way of drawing comparisons to explain these Claims and that is what this gentleman is trying to do.
Thanks.

Regards Ian

Michael Bush · « **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2006, 07:13:30 am »

I used to have them all bookmarked, but two computer crashes later, I'm afraid I don't have all the links.

I'd search the web on:

bees queens coumaphos

and

bees queens fluvalinate

and maybe

bees queens checkmite

You could also try this at :

http://scholar.google.com/

Michael Bush · « **Reply #11 on:** January 18, 2006, 07:57:13 pm »

http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=get-document&issn=0022-0493&volume=095&issue=01&page=0028
http://research.cas.psu.edu/projects/PEN03992.pdf

Here's a couple that mention it.

ian michael davison · « **Reply #12 on:** January 18, 2006, 08:17:39 pm »

Hi Michael
Thanks for that. If you have any thing else please let me have it.

Regards Ian