Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Carol on August 28, 2013, 03:47:04 pm
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(http://s12.postimg.org/pnmnacuw9/032cs.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/pnmnacuw9/)
Could this be a Queen?
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Not seeing it in three dimensions makes it hard to tell. If he abdomen was curled down, it seems long enough. It is unusual (but no unheard of) to have markings identical to the workers. So my instinct is that it is not and it's just a long worker.
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Michael... long worker as in "laying" worker?
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can't be sure from the pic, but are those eggs in the center of the cells? why are you worried about laying workers?
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Kathyp...this hive swarmed twice that I know of....don't know for sure that I have a Queen.
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I've found queens in some my NUCs that were hard to distinguish.
Especially young queens
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.don't know for sure that I have a Queen.
bottom right. looks like eggs in the bottom of those cells, although it could be reflection. did you take any other pics. put them on your computer and look for eggs and very small larvae.
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I posted a few more pictures on my blog www.wildlifearoundus.blogspot.com (http://www.wildlifearoundus.blogspot.com) they did not have to be resized smaller so a bit easier to see.
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http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sZ08kSC2EqQ/Uh47FzcU1iI/AAAAAAAAEeU/wSls-32C5r4/s1600-h/029cs%25255B4%25255D.jpg (http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sZ08kSC2EqQ/Uh47FzcU1iI/AAAAAAAAEeU/wSls-32C5r4/s1600-h/029cs%25255B4%25255D.jpg)
this is probalby the best frame. next time you (or anyone) takes pics try to shoot down into the bottom of the cells. not at an angle to the frame. what's in the bottom and how it's positioned is what we need to see. other than that, you got some good shots ;)
i am looking at the pics on a 37 inch screen with the picture enlarged. other than the obvious brood, i'm afraid i can't really reassure you that you are ok. i didn't see the queen and i didn't positively identify any eggs or younger brood.
when do you think this queen would have hatched? on the plus side, you seem to have plenty of drones, so we can assume she would have had plenty to mate with in the area.
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Kathyp....last swarm was on July 29th....I guess she would have emerged sometime after that. Michael Bush did not think the picture I circled above was a Queen...I've been over and over the pictures and that was the closest I could come to one...guess I was wrong.
Everything I've read seems to point to the hive having a Queen: bringing in pollen, good natured....no stings again ....but I would like to be sure before too much time has passed and the hive is beyond saving. I can get them another Queen if need be.
Some of the pictures on the blog look like larva and even a few capped cells...but I did not see them when I had them in my hand. A few times Jim told me to hold the frame so he could get a good shot and all I can think of is I forgot to check it or there were too many bees on it when I first looked.
Jim is getting better with the pics...we'll keep trying.
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Kathyp....I just reread your post and you definately did see brood? Good...I am looking at and zooming in on them on a computer...37" screen ...what a deal!...guess I need to figure out how to hook mine up too.
I appreciate everyone who takes time to check my pictures and give me advice. I never know if I am seeing what I think I am seeing or if I am seeing what I want to see...as with the "Queen" circled above.
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you need to go back and find younger larva and eggs. what you have there is about to be capped but i could not find anything younger. that doesn't mean it's not there. i just couldn't see it.
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I'll go through the pictures again...but I don't think I'll see anthing else. I will check those from the last check incase I missed them. Thanks.
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Michael... long worker as in "laying" worker?
No, there are different depths of brood cells, often on the same frame, for both workers and drones. Result--ones sees short stubby drones, wider drones, and short, average, and longer workers. The breath and depth of the cell the egg is laid in determines the size of bee that emerges.
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>long worker as in "laying" worker?
No... some workers, especially field bees, have stretched their abdomen more for hauling nectar and are noticeably longer than other bees. And there is also the possibility of an intercaste bee that is sort of a half queen. But I would guess it's just a worker.
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If a young Queen looks similar to a worker....how long does it take for her look to change.
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>If a young Queen looks similar to a worker....how long does it take for her look to change.
Typically a young queen is not marked like a worker. She tends to be either solid colored or more tiger striped than straight stripes like a worker. But she is small and that look changes when she mates which is usually within two weeks of when she emerged. Then she gets much larger.