So, I had this little cut-out in a playhouse floor to do today. This was my first order of business. I had sized things up and knew this wasn't a big colony, so I figured it to be a 3hr job, tops. I had other things planned and managed to do two of them.
You see, with bees you can always expect the unexpected or at least be expected to be surprised at least every now and then. Boy was today, that day!
As you will see in the pics, this colony was not that large, so what's the big deal??
How about 9 queens, that's right, 9 queens! After I had found the first 4 I gave Dallas and Bailey a call, I was ecstatic, slobbering all over the place.
Well, how was I supposed to know that I hadn't even found half of the queens in this colony? Shoot, things were just warming up!
Piping? I can still hear it, this colony was vocal, man, I tell ya! I brought with me 3 queen catchers, and a couple of queen cages, and had to put the rest of the queens in a small tupperware container.
So, anyway, at one point in the process, I see some swarming, low to the ground, it was weird. The really weird part was that they swarmed onto my beevac! And yep, a juicy queen in the middle of it all.
I boxed her, but the wind was strong, and a gust blew the box over, I believe forcing the queen out. Well she must have gone back to my beevac and moved underneath the motor housing, as bees were going iside the vac through the housing!! I didn't know that was possible until today.
So I had this swarm go into the beevac!!!
Long story short, left with a ton of queens, a new set up, and an experience that I will never forget!
Btw, the colony had consumed its stores, had, of course, hatched out swarm cells, and I believe they were a day or two out from swarming.
Pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/pyxicephalus/APRIL102008
...JP
Well if you need to do any splits or have any colonies you need to requeen or are queenless you have queens now lmao. That is allot of queens. What on earth are you going to do with all of them. Send one my way would ya lol. I need to do a split on that colony i did the cut out on they are already in 3 med supers with a honey super on. And there were eggs in all 3 meds. I dont want to have to buy a queen I wish I had a feral queen to do the split with just because this is a feral colony. Who sells feral queens that are small cell.
Angi
fat beeman(don), allan, and m bush all members sell small cel ferral stock
JP, and the saga continues, holy smoking smokers!!! YOu have the most interesting stuff going on in your life, I love to hear the stories, and that queens comin' out your ears is beyond believable, yeah!!!! Have fun, sounds like you are doin' that anyways, great to hear all your stories, Swarm King. Have the best of this most fantastic day, Cindi
what would cause them to raise so many queens? i have had a two queen hive, but i just figured it was because it was so big and they must have staked out opposite ends. how would a small colony end up with so many, and to fighting? like a stag herd, only it's a queen hive?? :-\
Quote from: kathyp on April 11, 2008, 09:16:24 PM
what would cause them to raise so many queens? i have had a two queen hive, but i just figured it was because it was so big and they must have staked out opposite ends. how would a small colony end up with so many, and to fighting? like a stag herd, only it's a queen hive?? :-\
A friend of mine said I got lucky finding all those queens and believed it was just a matter of time before a massacre ensued. One depressing detail. I had four queens together in a small tupperware container and only one was alive later on. I believe she killed the others. :'(
Kathy, I don't know if the massacre thing was inevitable but I truly believe the colony was ready at any minute to do some serious swarming, They had consumed all honey and well, had 9 queens, with hatched out swarm cells.
...JP
JP, a suggest for multiple queens. Get yourself one of those 7 day pill boxes that have Morning, Day, Evening, and Night compartments--that's 28 total. drill a few small holes in each lid. Each compartment has its own lid so you don't have to jamb them together.
Thats a great Idea Brian. Hey BTW did you ever get a hatch out of those eggs. I have been selling eggs all over and people are reporting from 50% to 80% hatch rates from shipped eggs. You can pm me if you wish. I can tell you how to sex the cuckoos
Angi
JP dude, that's freaking amazing! WOW!
Sean Kelly
Quote from: Brian D. Bray on April 17, 2008, 02:55:25 AM
JP, a suggest for multiple queens. Get yourself one of those 7 day pill boxes that have Morning, Day, Evening, and Night compartments--that's 28 total. drill a few small holes in each lid. Each compartment has its own lid so you don't have to jamb them together.
Thanks for the suggestion Brian, its a really good one, thanks again!
...JP
Queen cells.
I called Dallas after mine also.
Nice Nice Nice. I lost most of mine, but it was a learning experience.
Sincerely,
Brendhan
Quote from: Understudy on April 17, 2008, 10:39:10 PM
Queen cells.
I called Dallas after mine also.
Nice Nice Nice. I lost most of mine, but it was a learning experience.
Sincerely,
Brendhan
Brendhan, I was hoping to do a transfer with a caged queen, go back before dark and take them away, yeah, right! I got tricked!!!
...JP