Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: finally saw a queen  (Read 3198 times)

Offline bill

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 207
finally saw a queen
« on: September 13, 2005, 06:32:28 pm »
It was in one of my swarms that I got this year. Thanx to the advice from micheal i believe not to smoke them when looking for her. It was no trouble at all to see her, she was huge much bigger than a drones. the ones that I bought and lost were very small compared to this one. If they are all this big after they get started laying I think I might be able to find them. I was about to despair of ever seeing one so I was just going by clues, as to one being present. I have one nuc going in which there seems to be no queen no brood just a lot of uncapped honey. there are very few drones, but when I started it there was a lot of drones, I think I gave them a lot of capped drones back several months ago when I started but they are not so many now.  they have been this way for some time, I don't see why they don't have a laying worker by now. I plan to give them some brood to make a queen with, but I don't want to take it frome the small hives. My big hive is populated by a huge population with a very short fuse, and to tell the truth I don't know if I can work it all the way to the bottom. I know I can't without smoke. I will have to do it eventually but they are the mean ones I wrote about earlier and I have to really make myself go into it .. I will just have to do it anyway.lol  thanx a lot you guys
billiet

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19890
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
finally saw a queen
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2005, 07:01:31 pm »
>Thanx to the advice from micheal i believe not to smoke them when looking for her.

It does make a lot of difference doesn't it?

> It was no trouble at all to see her, she was huge much bigger than a drones. the ones that I bought and lost were very small compared to this one.

Queens vary a lot in size.

>If they are all this big after they get started laying I think I might be able to find them.

They all get BIGGER when laying but they aren't all the same size.

>I don't see why they don't have a laying worker by now.

They might have one or two but the workers are keeping up on removing the eggs.  Once there are a few dozen they won't be able to keep up.

> I plan to give them some brood to make a queen with, but I don't want to take it frome the small hives. My big hive is populated by a huge population with a very short fuse, and to tell the truth I don't know if I can work it all the way to the bottom. I know I can't without smoke. I will have to do it eventually but they are the mean ones I wrote about earlier and I have to really make myself go into it .. I will just have to do it anyway.lol thanx a lot you guys

Sometimes you just want to go fast.  As long as going slow keeps them calm it's worth it.  If going slow doesn't keep them calm, it's probably not worth it.  I'd quickly set all the boxes off down to where you find a light weight one and then pull a frame of brood and make sure you didn't get the 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

Offline Jerrymac

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 6047
  • Gender: Male
finally saw a queen
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2005, 07:58:58 pm »
Bill and I must have some of the same bees. One hive is just mean. Smoke or no smoke, it doesn't matter.
:rainbowflower:  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.   :rainbowflower:

 :jerry:

My pictures.Type in password;  youview
     http://photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/

Offline bill

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 207
finally saw a queen
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2005, 10:29:48 pm »
I might have another one coming, I was watching one of my swarms that is building up nicely. I was only watching them take off and land and one of the guard bees started getting in my face. I got so used to the small hives never being aggressive it kinda suprised me. I just walked away and thought he would go back, I was setting up drip irrigation and I had to spuirt water on him to get rid of him I see now that bees are like the gangs on the playground much braver when they have the numbers lol.
I am just going to have to manage these buggers till I can afford to requeen them all. but I am not even going to try till I know I can find the queens. I guess I am on my way now, hopefully
billiet

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19890
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
finally saw a queen
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2005, 10:39:32 pm »
>one of the guard bees started getting in my face.

This is completely normal. That's her job.  If she moblilzed the whole hive, then I'm worried.
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

Offline Jerrymac

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 6047
  • Gender: Male
finally saw a queen
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2005, 11:09:18 pm »
Yeah. I'll go out and watch the bees for a while from about 15 feet away. Eventually one will come buzzing me. She will follow me for about 75 yards before giving up.
:rainbowflower:  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.   :rainbowflower:

 :jerry:

My pictures.Type in password;  youview
     http://photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/

Offline bill

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 207
finally saw a queen
« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2005, 12:26:07 am »
I think I know the answer but I want to make sure, I shake off all the bees so I for sure don't get the queen right? they will be smoked and I guess she will be hiding... and jerrymac. when I was taking that hive down a lot  and making nucs they got so mad at me they would come out if I rode by on the tractor, they are a lot calmer now, I think I will try it this weekend. I will let you all know how I make out lol
billiet

 

anything