Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: dprater on May 03, 2013, 06:01:54 am

Title: New Queen to Queenless hive?
Post by: dprater on May 03, 2013, 06:01:54 am

I have a hive that is Queenless as far as I know. It still has lots of bees 3 mediums brood chamber one medium with honey. It swarmed April 17th. I went in yesterday and found no brood and no eggs at all not even drone. I took a queen for one of my nucs, caged her with a marshmellow in the hole and added her to the hive.
Question: if there is a unmated Queen in the hive will she or hive bees kill my new Queen when she gets out? Should I look for the unmated Queen? How long before thay will eat through the marshmellow?  I can look for the unmated Q with I get home from work if I need to. First time to do this I just dont know.

Thanks
Danny

Title: Re: New Queen to Queenless hive?
Post by: hardwood on May 03, 2013, 11:14:24 am

You shouldn't find signs of a new queen in there for about another week...I always wait a month after a swarm to check.

Scott

Title: Re: New Queen to Queenless hive?
Post by: Michael Bush on May 03, 2013, 01:30:21 pm

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm (http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm)

Title: Re: New Queen to Queenless hive?
Post by: dprater on May 04, 2013, 07:03:20 am

Well it shows I'm new at this and looks like I jumped the gun on this one. I guess I need to slow down on my quick decisions in the bees. Would you take the Queen back out (if she is not out of the cage) and but her back in the nuc?

Thanks much for the info.
Danny

Title: Re: New Queen to Queenless hive?
Post by: dprater on May 04, 2013, 03:03:14 pm

Checked and she is out the cage. Reminded my self I just having fun with this bee keeping thing and my lively hood does not depend on the outcome. Good thing :).

Danny

Title: Re: New Queen to Queenless hive?
Post by: cdray on May 04, 2013, 03:41:26 pm

I have only been keeping bees a year but I have learned a lot in that time.  People can tell you, books can be read and videos can be watched but  nothing substitutes for hands on experience and me learning from from my own mistakes..Keep on keepin' on.  David

Title: Re: New Queen to Queenless hive?
Post by: Michael Bush on May 06, 2013, 09:51:53 am

>Question: if there is a unmated Queen in the hive will she or hive bees kill my new Queen when she gets out?

Probably BEFORE she gets out...

> Should I look for the unmated Queen?

It's doubtful you can find her.

> How long before thay will eat through the marshmellow?

An hour.  Maybe a day.

> I can look for the unmated Q with I get home from work if I need to. First time to do this I just dont know.

The best solution is always a frame of open brood and eggs, not a queen.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beespanacea.htm (http://www.bushfarms.com/beespanacea.htm)

Not only is it foolproof and doesn't require you to know the state of the hive precisely, it gets you a locally mated queen...