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Author Topic: Did I do this right?  (Read 3041 times)

Offline brooklynbees

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Did I do this right?
« on: June 05, 2011, 10:56:54 pm »
Am trying to introduce a new queen; tried to read all the advice here and do it right.
Introduced the queen on the June 2. Hung the cage with the corks in and checked the next to see how the workers were reacting. They were on the cage but didn't seem too agitated. Replaced her. Checked the next day; it was the same, they were a little difficult to move off the cage, but then I was trying to be really gentle. Replaced her and waited until Sat, when I removed the cork and rehung the cage. Today, she was still in the cage,a nd it seemed that the workers were going into the cage and back out again. What do you think is happening? Is this normal? Any advice?

Offline AllenF

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Re: Did I do this right?
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2011, 11:18:02 pm »
First, you took  out the old queen, right?    On the queen cage, can she get out?    You may want to just open it, take your hive tool and peel back the wire screen.

Offline iddee

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Re: Did I do this right?
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2011, 11:41:19 pm »
Every body does it differently, but putting her in and then disturbing the hive every day afterward, in my opinion, is totally wrong. You will be very lucky if they don't get upset with all the intrusions and ball her to death.

I remove the candy end cork when I put her in. Then I check for eggs 7 days later.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline brooklynbees

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Re: Did I do this right?
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2011, 12:08:24 am »
Allen F-
The old queen died as far as I could tell. Didn't see her and didn't see any eggs for over a week - checked twice during that time.  But then, as you can tell, I'm new to this.

Offline brooklynbees

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Re: Did I do this right?
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2011, 12:17:36 am »
Allen F -
sorry, missed the other question. Yes, she can get out...the cork is out, its not blocked. Couldn't get the candy end cork out and was afraid to push it into her cage to open the hole and possibly hurt her, so I took the cork out of the other end.

I've probably disturbed them enough as the other commentator noted, so I will just pull the screen off tomorrow if she's still in there. I just found it odd that she was inside and the workers were going in and out. It didn't seem that they were attacking her and she was pretty placid. She is already mated and was laying per the seller.

These bees are really very gentle. I opened each time without any smoke and kept the visit brief-- just long enough to pull the cage up and see her. (No smoke because, quite frankly, it gives me an asthma attack each time.)

Thanks for the replies.

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Did I do this right?
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2011, 01:43:13 am »
if she's not out i'd remove the screen and release her also BUT when you do, pull a couple frames and release her inside the hive and onto a frame (drawn if you can).  so many people end up fumbling the cage or having her fly off. 
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline brooklynbees

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Re: Did I do this right?
« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2011, 05:26:32 pm »
Kathy adn Allen - Thanks for the advice. I went out today armed with the pliers to pull the screen and discovered she was out. She wasn't dead on the step, either. So I guess she finally decided to leave. Now I will wait a week to see if there's eggs or larvae. I promise no more peeking for a week... ;)

Offline brooklynbees

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Re: Did I do this right?
« Reply #7 on: June 13, 2011, 05:37:01 pm »
I want to thank everyone for their advice. I opened the hive yesterday, and even though I didn't see the new queen, I saw plenty of evidence that she's hard at work. Lots of eggs and new larvae. The girls and I are very happy. Couldn't have made it without you all....

 

anything