Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: MustbeeNuts on February 06, 2009, 08:27:37 AM

Title: Queen Storage?
Post by: MustbeeNuts on February 06, 2009, 08:27:37 AM
So I may end up getting my queens two weeks earlier than needed. Should I setup shipping date change with my supplier if possible, or is there a reliable way to store queens for a few weeks. I find ordering bees is hard, delivery dates are variable, for me it hard to get a handle on planning.
Title: Re: Queen Storage?
Post by: Scadsobees on February 06, 2009, 09:10:00 AM
I would recommend first trying to get your date changed.

Other than that, 2 weeks is a little bit too long.  If you could set up a couple of small splits....

How early are you talking?
Title: Re: Queen Storage?
Post by: BMAC on February 06, 2009, 01:02:54 PM
If you need to, just place a queen excluder on top your strongest colony and and empty box top of that and place the queens in a frame in the empty box.  Your nurse bees will tend to them.  Cant do it long but a week or so should be good.
Title: Re: Queen Storage?
Post by: MustbeeNuts on February 07, 2009, 10:09:05 PM
Quote from: Scadsobees on February 06, 2009, 09:10:00 AM
I would recommend first trying to get your date changed.

Other than that, 2 weeks is a little bit too long.  If you could set up a couple of small splits....

How early are you talking?

I expect the first week in apr. and I won't be in a posistion to use them till the second week of apr. now of course that depends on the delivery times. I plan on spitting  but I also have some packages coming tht I want to requeen.  Then again tht opens a new can of worms, splitting that early. I lost a few hives so I got lots of honey and already pulled frames for them.