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Author Topic: why new queen missing?  (Read 2993 times)

Offline limyw

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why new queen missing?
« on: December 21, 2004, 11:48:56 am »
I had a hive, three weeks ago the queen absconded and reason unknown. I split that hive to 2, reserved each hive with one capped queen cell. One was brought to another site while one kept at the original place. I checked both hives every 3-4 days and added capped broods to sustain the colonies. After 2 weeks, both hives were failed to breed new queen. Queen cells were destroyed or removed by bees, i dont even have chance to see them. I dont think this is due to shortage of food as syrup were feed, and nectar also available in the field. Why this happened? :(

I can't buy new queen as here very less people keep bees. Can I just combine both queenless hives with other hives?

Opinions will be appreciated.
lyw

Offline Finman

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why new queen missing?
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2004, 01:13:17 pm »
If queen die in the hive, bees raise  new queens. They will have queen cells.

1) If you give queen cells from another hive, they smell it often strange and they destroy the cell. Cell can also been violated.

2) If they have already their own new queen, they  destroy other queen cells and queens. I can find it out when you give larvas into hive. If they raise queen cells, they are without queen. If nothing happens, they already have a queen.

It takes about 3 week (minimum) to raise a new queen and to have it fertilized. If you have much rainy days, fertilizing will be moved.

The hive gather very well honey without brood and without queen.

If hive have no queen, often it can be seen from their behaviour. They ventilate and they have their odor gland open.  If you let them to smell another's queens taste, they start to ventilate eagerly. If they have already own queen, they attach against the stranger. Of course queen must bee in the cage.

DO TEST
Put young larva frame into the hive and see what happens.

 

anything