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Author Topic: Queens didn't emerge?  (Read 2267 times)

Offline derrick1p1

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Queens didn't emerge?
« on: April 28, 2008, 09:11:44 pm »
I have a hive (#1) that swarmed!!  Not thinking, I took out some of the queen cells until I realized they were emergency q. cells and left 4 of them alone.  That was 2 weeks ago, and I just checked, they still haven't emerged.  What could have happened?

Question:
Should I combine this hive with #2, or give them some eggs/brood from #2 which is booming - (already has 4 drawn supers) as of today and hope that they rear a queen and make it?

I'm a bit confused :)

Derrick
I won't let grass grow under my feet, there will be plenty of time to push up daisies.

Offline asprince

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Re: Queens didn't emerge?
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2008, 09:59:52 pm »
Give them the eggs/brood. If they need it they will use it. If not, it will just boost the hive.

Steve

this may help:

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm
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Online Michael Bush

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Re: Queens didn't emerge?
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2008, 11:35:57 pm »
The safest bet when queenlessness is suspected is to give a frame of eggs and open brood.  It will postpone laying workers (because the pheromones from the brood supress them) and it will give them the wherewithal to make a queen IF they need one and it won't hurt if they don't need one.
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