Cut-Out Queen Was Marked!---June 11, 2009

[JP]

I removed this colony from a work trailer at a fire training facility for Delgado Community College. As you will see in the pics, I had to do the entire removal on my back with the hive literally six inches from my face, but man these bees are nice!  It was a tough removal but the bees made it pleasurable as they were just fun to work with.

Once the comb sections were removed (and I removed them furthest ones in, to try and get queenie to come forward) I could see that the queen was having no part in my antics as there was this huge ball of bees deep in the floor space.

The one saving grace was that there was space below and forward of the bees which enabled me to usher them to me with bee quick. Once I was able to spray the bee quick in front of them, they had no choice but to come my way.

A huge ball settled where the comb sections had been attached and I literally was pulling handfulls of bees out and gently dropping them atop the frames in the hive set up.

After a few minutes or so, I sat back and observed that we had bees on the hive, on the building, on one of the inner bee vac boxes and bees swirling around in the air.

I have to confess it was a bit chaotic and I in fact told Rick, the fire fighter trainer who was right there with me that I really had absolutely no idea what was happening at the very moment (me being a brat Cindi :-D).

Ok, I have to admit, even though I really had no idea what was going on, I knew the bees had to make a decision, as it was late evening. This is why I could have some fun with Rick!

The bees began making their decisions as they came down and began to congregate on the hive body but also the corner of the building, and wouldn't you know, after several minutes had passed, what do I see on the corner of the building but a marked queen!

Here are the pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/pyxicephalus/June112009#

Ain't she a beauty?


...JP

[Robo]

Interesting.... I actually thought about if anyone ever finds a marked queen yesterday while doing a cut-out.    I guess it is a good indication that they moved in this year.

Did my marathon cut-outs yesterday.  Left at 5AM, did 2 cut-outs and got back home at 1AM. 8-)  Have to go set up the hives in the yard.  Both cut-outs had already swarmed , old swarm cells, no capped brood, but plenty of eggs and open brood. So I have 2 new young queens,  Found both and marked them ;)  Took some pictures and hopefully will get them posted.

[JP]

Rob, looks like you beat me home by twenty minutes. After I removed this colony I drove twenty miles to pick up a swarm trap full of bees and look at a four plex with bees, the people were still up after 10 pm, with the window open and the light on inside so I knocked and they were happy to see the beeman!

That removal was set up for today sight unseen but glad I went by for a quick look as the tennants had just moved in and will now have to move a bed and other stuff from the room where the bees are. In the wall.

It was a long day!


...JP

[annette]

Green, this years color. So they left some poor beekeeper's hive and took up a new home.

Very interesting stuff JP. Is this the first time you found a marked queen??

[jimmy]

Annette , GREEN my thoughts exactly 2009 queen. Good job JP

[JP]

I almost certain this is the first marked queen I've come across on a cut out.


...JP

[G3farms]

that sure was a tough cut out to get to. looks like you did an ecellent job as always.

I envy you JP, getting to play in the bees all the time. Having fun and getting paid to boot :-D

A marked queen, that's something, if she only had the rfid chip on her you could of found the owner :lau: just think some poor ol' beek went to check on his new package bees only to find them gone, I can see him cussing and stomping back to the house (at least thats what I would do).

Can't wait for pics of todays adventure "As the Bee Flies"

G3

[asprince]

Great job JP. I have a couple of cut outs to do next week but I am not as eager as I once was now that I have a few more hives.

I did capture a couple of swarms this year with marked queens.

Steve

[danno]

very nice JP.   What do you charge for a job like that?  One of the swarms I got last week had a red marked queen. 2008  This leads me to a question for you guys that mark your queens.  Obviously Rob had young queens with the presence of cells but what do you do with swarms.  Good chance they are last years but maybe not

[JP]

I have done work here before, two hives in fact that were both sprayed. Rick and I had discussions about those hives and I pleaded with him to keep every one away from the next one.

I believe he is now a convert as he is now considering keeping at least a few hives, perhaps next year when he retires.

I gave them a brother n law discount on this one, but the price quoted was a month ago. There's all this red tape to go through and the job kept getting postponed.

This is a job that should go for 400.00 or more in my area but I charged much less, half that in fact but as stated the bees were a joy to work with.


...JP

[NasalSponge]

Hey G3...I was thinking about all the new folks that have posted in here about having packages abscond on them.....I guess we can just point them to this post and tell them to PM JP when they ask where did they go. :-D

[lenape13]

I think that was one of mine, Italian-looking girl, with a green dot on her back.  Can't figure out how she got way down there from here in southwestern Pennsylvania, though.... :lol:  Great job, and great photos.

[JP]

Happy to share the photos, glad y'all enjoyed them!


...JP

[David LaFerney]

You are the King.  In the pictures you aren't suited up at all - did you crawl under there like that?  You have to get stung on a job like that - do you even feel it any more?  I don't think I would like being mosquito bit as much as I imagine you get stung.  Your hide must be like leather.

Great pictures too.  That is a nice queen.

[JP]

I don't like getting stung, no one that I know really does, but stings don't swell on me anymore because of desensitization.

I felt confident at a point later on in the removal that these bees were extremely gentle, but also later on in the process it was advantageous to go without the veil in order to see better into the floor space.


...JP

[1reb]

Congratulations JP on catching a marked queen
Youy are trued the Swarm King

Johnny

[David LaFerney]

I don't like getting stung, no one that I know really does, but stings don't swell on me anymore because of desensitization.

I felt confident at a point later on in the removal that these bees were extremely gentle, but also later on in the process it was advantageous to go without the veil in order to see better into the floor space.


...JP

I bet people that see you do something like this are in awe.  I know I would.  I'd say it's worth every cent of what you charge.  Most people wouldn't even consider it at twice the price.

I on the other hand would consider it - have bee suit will travel.  Maybe later.

[Cindi]

JP, well bust my britches!!!  You're actually acknowledging that you are a brat, hee, hee, that was cute.

Still going strong on those cut outs eh?  Yays and good for you!!!  I was wondering, when you put brood comb into the empty frames with rubber bands, does the brood get squished?  Always wondered about that and always forget to ask.  Beautiful days in our great lives, to love and live, health.  Cindi

[JP]

Bees repair what they need to Cindi. I try not to sqoosh, but nobody's perfect. ;)


...JP

[annette]

JP, well bust my britches!!!  You're actually acknowledging that you are a brat, hee, hee, that was cute.

Did he actually acknowledge this?  Where? Where?