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Author Topic: Possible problems?  (Read 2951 times)

Offline Touger

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Possible problems?
« on: May 16, 2015, 04:54:28 pm »
Hello all, I'm new to the forum and this is my first post. I'm in west central Illinois and I have started my first hives this year, both top bar hives. The packages were installed about 10 days ago. First problem was one dead queen. Got the new queen 2 days ago and put the queen cage in but after 2 days they haven't started eating out the candy to release her. Both hives went through about 1/4 gallon of simple syrup and the hive that didn't have a queen is making comb faster than the queen right hive. It seems that they should be eating more syrup than that in order to build all that new comb. Both hives have bees coming and going from the two big berry brambles that are close by and in full bloom. So my questions are should I be worried that the one hive seems to be ignoring the new queen and is it normal for the bees to go after nectar from the berry plants rather than the easy food I'm giving them. Sorry if this was too long or confusing.

Offline Maggiesdad

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Re: Possible problems?
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2015, 07:13:47 pm »
Welcome to Beemaster!   :grin: Put your location in your profile so folks know where you are in future posts.

Yes the bees prefer nectar over syrup - it has more stuff they need than just the plain carbs of syrup. Plus syrup can go funky (ferment) in warm weather.

Are the bees balling the new queen's cage?  If not I'd let her out, so they won't be messing up the comb.

Does the queen right hive have eggs and larva yet?

Offline Maggiesdad

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Re: Possible problems?
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2015, 07:24:44 pm »
I'm just a newbie , too - I started 3 TBHs on March 27th.  All three of them are a little different. I'm glad I started with several instead of having just one and it be a slowpoke.

Offline iddee

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Re: Possible problems?
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2015, 08:47:57 pm »
Often, a package will have a queen in it. If so, the introduced queen will not be accepted. Before releasing the new queen, check carefully for eggs in the  "queenless" hive.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline Touger

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Re: Possible problems?
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2015, 08:54:42 pm »
No they are not balling the cage I will open that hive again on Monday and release her if the bees haven't yet. The queen in the queen right hive is not laying yet. I found her immediately and was surprised that I did. She was on the 4th bar just kinda meandering her away across the comb. My eyes arnt really trained yet but I couldn't see any eggs and she didn't look like she was laying. Both hives do have nectar and pollen being stored.

Offline Maggiesdad

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Re: Possible problems?
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2015, 09:11:23 pm »
I can't see eggs through my veil... I snap pics and then blow them up to check.  :tongue:

Offline Touger

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Re: Possible problems?
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2015, 07:12:21 pm »
Update: I released the new queen on Monday and they seem to have taken to her nicely. The other hive now has capped brood and I could see some larvae. So all seems well for now. Thank you for the advice and help.