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Author Topic: queen noise  (Read 5040 times)

Offline SOB

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queen noise
« on: July 11, 2005, 01:47:45 pm »
it sounded as if the queen was  squealing, eeee!   what is this noise and what does it mean? thanks

Online Michael Bush

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queen noise
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2005, 01:53:40 pm »
It is the sound a newly emerged queen makes.  It's called "piping".  When they are pinned in the cell by the bees (because they are trying to keep her from emerging yet) she makes the same sound but because of the cell it sounds more like a quack.  Did the hive swarm?  Supercede?
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Offline SOB

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queen noise
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2005, 06:38:32 pm »
It's within an observation hive and the sound did come from the bottom frame just out of my sight.  I have only two lg frames in the hive ... it looks like it's ready to explode.  Yesterday more than half the bees left mid-afternoon within a couple of hours they all came back.  Today is the first time I heard the piping.  I have a second observation hive with four frames ... any ideas?

Offline FrogPond

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queen noise
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2005, 10:16:28 pm »
No kidding!  :shock:

They make noise other than with their wings? I have never heard about this or experienced it. Do you know if there are any recordings of this?
Charles Fry, Amatuer Farmer & Entremanure
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Offline SOB

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queen noise
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2005, 10:50:23 pm »
My bees are on a desk right next to the computer ... If she starts again I'll drag the microphone over.

Offline Kris^

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queen noise
« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2005, 11:22:26 pm »
Quote from: FrogPond
No kidding!  :shock:

They make noise other than with their wings? I have never heard about this or experienced it. Do you know if there are any recordings of this?


This site has a wave file:  http://hemingwaysouthcarolina.com/sounds/queenpiping.wav

-- Kris

Offline bassman1977

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queen noise
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2005, 12:05:21 am »
Wow.  That is something else.  Sounds like she's crying.

Just a comment on your bees leaving and coming back...

Sounds like they are doing some practice runs for an up-and-coming swarm.

I don't know how those observations hives work, but from what I've seen, there doesn't look like much room for growth.  Is there anyway you can get them into a regular hive so the hive can grow?  Doing this might get rid of their desire to swarm.  If you can do that, then later down the road use your observation hive for a split or start another package or what have you.
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Offline FrogPond

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queen noise
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2005, 12:12:29 am »
Wow. I am still amazed at this... does anyone know how the queens make this noise? I doubt it is a voice, but I am curious about the sound mechanisms just the same.
Charles Fry, Amatuer Farmer & Entremanure
Frog Pond Acres   -    http://www.FPAcres.com - come by for a visit!

Offline bassman1977

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queen noise
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2005, 12:18:56 am »
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Offline tig

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queen noise
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2005, 05:00:49 am »
thats a piping queen! when i ordered about 150 queens and kept them in my house before introducing them, at times it would sound like a whole orchestra in full swing.

Online Michael Bush

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queen noise
« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2005, 04:33:21 pm »
When she makes it you can see her wings move but it also appears she is blowing air out her spiracles.  I think its some combination of the two.

You have a new queen in your observation hive.  They could be swarming, already have swarmed or are superceding.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Offline SOB

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queen noise
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2005, 11:22:29 pm »
Being the SOB that I am I have connected the 2nd and larger empty 4 frame observation hive to the smaller one ... shut them off from going outside and feeding sugar water between the two hives.   Roughly 5% of the bees are in the new hive tonight ... the small hive is so packed I don't think they have any other choice.  Think they might just swarm right into the new hive?  Any predictions as to what will happen?

Online Michael Bush

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queen noise
« Reply #12 on: July 12, 2005, 11:25:56 pm »
My prediction is that they will swarm when you finally open it up.  Whether they will be queenless or not afterwards is hard to say.  It depends on how well the bees keep the two queens seperated.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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Offline SOB

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queen noise
« Reply #13 on: July 13, 2005, 04:08:03 pm »
The bees have become more adgitated into day 2 so today I let them go back out.  After all I'm just looking to have an obversation hive .. if they swarm they swarm.  The first half hour the 1 inch tube going outside was solid with bees ... now they have settled down with a constant flow in and out ... I'm still making them go through the larger hive to get out.

Offline SOB

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queen noise
« Reply #14 on: July 28, 2005, 08:46:38 pm »
It's been almost three weeks ... no swarming ... overflow population stays in the larger hive at night ... yesterday I see they have started building foundation on the bottom frame in the empty larger hive.

Online Michael Bush

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queen noise
« Reply #15 on: July 29, 2005, 10:32:02 am »
Is there a new queen?
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin