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Author Topic: Bee reaction to new queen  (Read 4551 times)

Offline Sunnyboy2

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Bee reaction to new queen
« on: May 04, 2013, 10:03:10 am »
I have never been able to find a queen in one of my hives with new package.  Has been three weeks.  Comb is being pulled.  Noticed 3 emergency queen cells being pulled from center of frame yesterday.  Seems to be good time to introduce new queen.
What reaction(s) should I be looking for when I put a new queen into the hive?  The good, the bad and the ugly?

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Bee reaction to new queen
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2013, 08:59:55 am »
They may be supersedure cells and there may still be a queen in the hive.  Why not let them sort it out?  That way you don't condemn a queen to death if they do still have a queen, and they will simply follow their instinct to their natural conclusion while you don't have to spend money on a queen who probably isn't adapted to your climate anyway.
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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"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Steel Tiger

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Re: Bee reaction to new queen
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2013, 10:02:59 am »
Couldn't you take a frame with eggs from one of your other hives to put in? That way if they are queenless, they can make their own queen. But if there is a queen, no harm done.

Offline Sunnyboy2

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Re: Bee reaction to new queen
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2013, 11:50:39 pm »
Both  great suggestions  thank you.  One of the things that has confused me is having cells pulled from middle of the frame rather than built on bottom or side.  I have  two new hives and one struggling top bar.  So adding frame did not  cdosss my mind.   

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Bee reaction to new queen
« Reply #4 on: May 09, 2013, 12:18:44 am »
and the other thing is, what else did you see?  eggs, larvae, anything?  you buy a queen and put her in with the old one and you have probably just wasted your money. 
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Sunnyboy2

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Re: Bee reaction to new queen
« Reply #5 on: May 09, 2013, 12:59:43 am »
I did not see eggs, or capped brood.  There must have been some there, they were pulling queen cells from somewhere, right. . . But? 
The concerns I had were/are fueled by my inexperience and impatience.  I had been reading posts about laying workers/lost hives.  Our spring has been cold.  And I have a streak of control freak in me which does not mesh well with "natural" bee keeping, which is my goal. 
I did buy a queen from a man hauling packages to Denver.  A chance meeting.  (He was from Apisis Hive, a well respected company in the region). 
Anyway, I put the queen in (before I got the comments I might add).  She seems to be doing well.  I took queen cells off.  She seems to but doing well. 
I hope I gain more trust in the bees as this adventure moves forward.  Do less, learn more.
The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

Offline Sunnyboy2

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Re: Bee reaction to new queen
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2013, 01:00:57 am »
Sorry for rambling.

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Bee reaction to new queen
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2013, 01:25:15 am »
it's all good if it works!
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline don2

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Re: Bee reaction to new queen
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2013, 12:18:49 am »
The ones in the middle of the frame are supersede cells. Bottom of the frame, swarm cells. :) d2

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Bee reaction to new queen
« Reply #9 on: May 10, 2013, 03:21:18 pm »
> One of the things that has confused me is having cells pulled from middle of the frame rather than built on bottom or side.

Location is irrelevant.  A lot of cells in a crowded hive are swarm cells.  A few cells in a sparsely populated hive are supersedure or emergency cells.  If there is a queen in the hive, they are supersedure cells.  If there is not, they are emergency cells.
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

 

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