Author Topic: Queensssss (Read 5442 times)

greenismycolor · « **on:** April 17, 2009, 11:03:17 pm »

Hi All

I'm in my second year of beekeeping and I saw something that I'm not sure what to do about, if anything. The weather was great here 70+ lots of sun, bees working like crazy, must have been gillions going and comming, loaded with multi colored pollen. They are Italians 1 deep and 1 medium full of brood and 1 honey super (their working on it now) As I watched the front of the hive I saw 3 quiet large bees crawling around, it was shocking at their size, 1 went back inside and 2 flew away. The other bees did not seem to be bothered by them. Not drones. They looked like queens! Could it be?? If so what does that mean?? Any feedback and/or thoughts would be great!

green

JP · « **Reply #1 on:** April 17, 2009, 11:14:00 pm »

If they weren't drones and they were honeybees, they were probably virgins that had recently hatched out.

...JP

greenismycolor · « **Reply #2 on:** April 18, 2009, 08:16:49 am »

Thanks JP.
Thats what I thought, but I wasn't sure. Their abdomens we longer and not stripe like the others but more of a solid rusty red/orange color. This hive is from a swarm 3 springs old now. They seem to be doing fine (by what I read) but my experience is day by day. All of you in the forum have been a big help!!!
Is there anything I should look/check for now? Thanks again

JP · « **Reply #3 on:** April 18, 2009, 10:40:23 am »

If they haven't thrown any swarms off yet, they may any day now. I would definitely go in and check this hive thoroughly to see what is going on. Best scenario would be supersedure but this time of year reproductive swarming is prevalent.

Do you have a mentor or experienced beekeeper that could do the inspection with you? Let us know what's going on.

...JP

Michael Bush · « **Reply #4 on:** April 18, 2009, 01:29:03 pm »

It is very unusual to see queens outside of the hive, but not unheard of and the description sounds a lot like queens. The give away for a drone is their bug eyes (much larger than a worker or queen) and their blunt back end (not long and tapered like a queen).

greenismycolor · « **Reply #5 on:** April 18, 2009, 05:44:01 pm »

No, JP I don't have a mentor. There are no beekeepers in my immediate area. I would be grateful for one. I started with a book and a swarm, then I purchased another hive from a family who's beekeeper had passed away. I can do a detailed inspection tomorrow. What signs would indicate a supersedure or a swarm?

Michael, the back end was long and tapered. I have recognized drones in my hive before, from pictures and videos, but this was the first time to see one this size and shape. Any farther ideas, instructions, what to look for, advice would be greatly appreciated.

thanks to both of you
Patti

rast · « **Reply #6 on:** April 18, 2009, 05:58:56 pm »

I would sure have to go into the hive and see where the cells they came from are located. If they were in the bottom of the frames, I would probably take swarm prevention measures.

JP · « **Reply #7 on:** April 18, 2009, 06:27:50 pm »

http://www.bushfarms.com/beessplits.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beessplits.htm#kinds
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesbasics.htm#supersedure

Read this for some clues ^^^^

...JP

greenismycolor · « **Reply #8 on:** April 19, 2009, 09:18:09 am »

Hey JP
The temperature here is good, but it is raining. If it stops by the time I finish work at 2, God willing, I will check them today. Thanks for your help.
Patti

greenismycolor · « **Reply #9 on:** April 19, 2009, 09:55:54 pm »

The rain stopped the clouds went away and the sun was beautiful. So I opened up the hive. Just as I finished the bottom fell out. This is what I found.

JP · « **Reply #10 on:** April 19, 2009, 11:30:59 pm »

Yep, you have swarm cells. Looks like they ran out of room, lots of burr comb on the bottoms of those frames.

...JP

Hethen57 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 20, 2009, 01:35:51 am »

As I was watching my two new (one day old) hives, I saw what looked like a queen (long abdomen and shiny back) walking around on the grass in front (with the dead and dying bees), but not the marked queen that I installed with the package. She had frayed or chewed off wings and died a short time later...what do you think?...is this a queen that maybe came in my package and was thrown out of the hive? I am anxious to check the hive in a few days to make sure my marked queen is healthy and laying!

Bozoshoes · « **Reply #12 on:** April 20, 2009, 08:34:37 am »

I think I have a similar problem; I saw a longbodied bee, all brown, walking around outside the hive (close to the entrance) The only difference was that she had a white substance about the size of a pin head hanging from her back end. Does anyone have an explanation of what this could possibly be?? Do you think she may have been returning from a mating flight or maybe walked out of the hive in the middle of laying eggs?? I don,t know what to make of it. Thanks!

Scadsobees · « **Reply #13 on:** April 20, 2009, 09:47:49 am »

Quote from: Hethen57 on April 20, 2009, 01:35:51 am

As I was watching my two new (one day old) hives, I saw what looked like a queen (long abdomen and shiny back) walking around on the grass in front (with the dead and dying bees), but not the marked queen that I installed with the package. She had frayed or chewed off wings and died a short time later...what do you think?...is this a queen that maybe came in my package and was thrown out of the hive? I am anxious to check the hive in a few days to make sure my marked queen is healthy and laying!

There was probably a queen in the bee package in addition to the caged queen, as you suspect. It may have been your marked queen, they can chew the dots off. Either way one of the queens was kicked out forcibly.

Rick

Scadsobees · « **Reply #14 on:** April 20, 2009, 09:49:32 am »

Quote from: Bozoshoes on April 20, 2009, 08:34:37 am

I think I have a similar problem; I saw a longbodied bee, all brown, walking around outside the hive (close to the entrance) The only difference was that she had a white substance about the size of a pin head hanging from her back end. Does anyone have an explanation of what this could possibly be?? Do you think she may have been returning from a mating flight or maybe walked out of the hive in the middle of laying eggs?? I don,t know what to make of it. Thanks!

An egg looks like a tiny grain of rice. Most likely was a queen returning from her flight. I don't think they leave the hive for no reason.

Rick

greenismycolor · « **Reply #15 on:** April 20, 2009, 07:39:19 pm »

This hive has really built up this spring. When I opened it I saw right away that I must make a split, and maybe I should have made 2, there were bees on top of bees.
So, I made a walk away split with the queen cells, you saw in the pic in the new hive and gave them a deep super. My thinking is to change the deep to the bottom once they have settled. Am I on the right track?
I could have made another split, but there was a storm comming in and the bees got very testy.
Early this morning I took a quick peek, a few bees from the original were out and about, the split has about a dozen dead bees on the entrance and no activity, so I made a small rap on the box, and got the results I was looking for, lots of bees buzzed back at me.
This afternoon about 4:30 I walked out to take another look, the dead bees were gone from the split entrance but not much activity.
The original hive is buzzzing with lots of bees cleaning and comming and going. Like nothing ever happened. I was about 15 feet from the hives and one greeted me with a very smart sting to my cheek, and one followed me to land in my hair. So I left them to do what they do.
I use a queen excluder between the brood and the honey supers and I normaly use shallows for honey, because the deeps are to heavy, extract by crush and strain and make some chunk honey. At this point I am not sure that I know what the correct questions would be, so any ideas or advice would be most welcomed. One question I do have is, since there was more than one queen cell, is there an manipulation that I should do, or leave then to their on ideas?

patti

greenismycolor · « **Reply #16 on:** April 25, 2009, 08:32:16 pm »

6 days after the split. About 10 o'clock this moring, the original was swarming, the air was full of bees. It wasn't one of those where they whirrl around and around and go up and away. They were buzzing about everywhere. There were lots on the front of the hive, and a few landed on a nearby tree branch. After about 15 minutes, the ones in the air went back and collected on the hive front then eventualy they all went inside. I've watched all day, but it seems that activity has gone back to normal. I put a deep under the branch where they landed this morning and left it ....hoping to get lucky. I have a more experienced beek comming tomorrow to take a look. Wish us luck. Any suggestions??

Michael Bush · « **Reply #17 on:** April 25, 2009, 09:38:37 pm »

>Any suggestions??

Shake them into the box.

greenismycolor · « **Reply #18 on:** April 26, 2009, 12:12:08 am »

Sorry Michael, I didn't make myself clear.....even the ones on the branch returned to the hive.
There might have been 30 or so bees on the limb and a few flying around, and it seemed that the others would follow but they did not. What do you think? The queen didn't fly out?? or what?
Thanks for replying.
Patti

hankdog1 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 26, 2009, 02:26:02 am »

Sounds like your having a trial by fire right now. You best keep an eye on them as they will more then likely swarm soon. It's not unheard of for them to go back and try again. For whatever reason they decided today wasn't the day to make a run for it. You can put a few drops of lemon grass oil inside the hive just in case. That should entice them to go in if your not around when they decide to swarm.