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Author Topic: Issue with the queen in hive 5  (Read 1800 times)

Offline Georgia Boy

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Issue with the queen in hive 5
« on: June 21, 2013, 08:50:45 pm »
After I realized the reason hive 2 absconded, robbing, I wanted to make sure my remaining hives weren't in jeopardy. All are good on stores and the queens are doing good except in hive 5.

I was looking for the queen on the frames and couldn't find her, as was the case the last two inspections. Didn't really worry about because I know you won't always find the queen. The last time I was in the hive a week ago and didn't find the queen, I notice a cluster of bees on the screen of the bottom board. I have the bottom board out so it is just the screen. I just thought the queen was down there no big deal.

On todays inspection the queen wasn't on the frames so I look down on the screen and there was the cluster of bees. There was another cluster of bees on the outside of the screen also. I moved the bees around that was on the inside of the screen hoping to find the queen and she wasn't there. So I took the hive off the bottom board and turned the screen upside down and move the bees around and low and behold there was the queen. She was on the outside of screened bottom board. I tried to pick her up but couldn't get a grip on her. I slid my hive tool under her and picked her up and then, to my surprise, she flew off. I didn't think she could fly. She has a big butt.

Before I came in for the night I checked the bottom board and she was back. Tomorrow I will try and get her back into the hive again.

I have a couple of question I hope some of you might have the answer to.

1: Why would the queen leave the hive and hang out on the underside of the screened bottom board?

2: What did she do, just decide to go for a walk or did they throw her out?

3: Do you think she will go back in on her own? She hasn't yet and I think she has been out there for at least a week.

The good news is the bees in the hive are still taking care of her needs.
"Give it All You've Got"
"Never give up. Never surrender."

Offline Jim134

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Re: Issue with the queen in hive 5
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2013, 09:50:33 pm »
Did you ever think there could be more then one queen in the hive. I do know if they're is a good  honey flow on you can have more than one queen this happens about 20% of the time.




                     BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
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Offline Georgia Boy

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Re: Issue with the queen in hive 5 updated today
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2013, 09:47:33 pm »
Went into hive 5 this afternoon and inspected. Me on one side and my wife on the other and then we switched sides to make sure we didn't miss anything. My wife is quicker to spot queen than I am. We did not see a queen.

This hive is only one 8 frame medium box and not all frames are in use.

A queen was still on the outside of the bottom screen board surrounded by bees and there were bees on the inside of the screen where the queen was also.

I placed the hive on a new screened bottom board so I could handle the old one.

The thing I don't understand is the queen could fly. She did it yesterday and again today when I tried to catch her. She flew a little ways out and then came right back. She looked to fat to fly but she did.

I caught her and put her back inside the hive and she went down into the frames immediately. The bees in the hive didn't attack her. I then banged the side of the bottom board with my hand to dislodge the bees clustered on both side of the screen. They then flew around for a minute and then proceeded into the hive. Some of the bees stood in the entrance of the hive and started fanning to let the others know to come in.

Here are the questions I have. I hope someone might have answers to them. The one thing I have learned in my short life as a beek is A + B does NOT always = C. :)

Tooooooooo many variables.

This is a very weak hive and the queen does not lay a tight brood pattern. There is a capped queen cell in the hive.

1:  Could the queen have swarmed?

2:  Has a queen ever swarmed to the underside of the hive she is swarming from?

3:  Since I put her back into the hive she was under will she leave again?

Thanks

David
"Give it All You've Got"
"Never give up. Never surrender."

Offline don2

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Re: Issue with the queen in hive 5
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2013, 11:50:05 pm »
It sounds like the bees have super ceded. The bees may have ran her out, rather than kill her or let her stay in and fight it out with the new one. I have never known one to get left behind from a swarm unless she was clipped or injured. If she is a spotty layer that may be why she was super ceded.  I see this in hive # 5. Have you acquired another hive in the past couple days? I noticed you had only 4 a few days ago. Or is it due to your numbering system. I'll explain if need be.  :) d2

Offline Georgia Boy

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Re: Issue with the queen in hive 5
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2013, 09:44:17 am »
I still have only 4 active hives now. But I have 5 hives on my stands. I had ordered a queen to re-queen hive 3 but they would not accept her so did a split off hive 1 and put the new queen in the split. Hive 1 has recovered from being honey bound and is producing brood like crazy. So I was up to 5 active hives and then hive 2 absconded and now we are at 4 actives again.

I leave the empty hive out there so when my wife and I are talking about them we don't start using different numbers and confusing the hives we are talking about.
 
"Give it All You've Got"
"Never give up. Never surrender."

Offline Georgia Boy

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Re: Issue with the queen in hive 5
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2013, 08:53:56 pm »
Well the queen is still in the hive today. I guess she might get to stay. We'll see.
"Give it All You've Got"
"Never give up. Never surrender."

Offline don2

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Re: Issue with the queen in hive 5
« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2013, 09:01:25 pm »
The reason I ask, I had Rabbits once. About 20 does. when I had to cull one or for what ever reason one went away, I could not replace it with another and use the same number on the second one. As for as my Rabbit herd was concerned that used number was for ever gone.
It is not noticeable till you see it on paper. It was even to confusing when you added a letter to it. that number just didn't fit anymore.:roll:  :) d2

Offline Georgia Boy

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Re: Issue with the queen in hive 5
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2013, 09:50:29 pm »
Being new we are trying to simplify the hive numbering. Today we decided to just call each hive by the place it resides on the hive stand. Since you do on occasion need to move hives around. So we now have hive 1, 4, 5, and six as active hives and hive 3 is on the stand but inactive. :)

Now everything is clear as mud.  :-D

Just had a thought.... we could always just number the bottom boards that way no matter how you manipulate the hives you will always know which you are talking about. Have to run that one by the wife. Might work.

David
"Give it All You've Got"
"Never give up. Never surrender."

 

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