Today I finally found the queen. I have had nothing but trouble trying to spot them. I actually sat down in a chair and went thru frame after frame slowly until I spotted her. Also spotted some drones, found eggs, and a few small hive beetles which I crushed. Lots of brood, capped and uncapped, larvae, pollen, and honey. I feel much better now that I spotted my first queen. It was fun.
Congratulations. It will get easier.
That's the best way to look for them. Sit down and get comfortable and take your time.
Quote from: RZRBCK BEE on April 20, 2010, 11:07:02 PM
Today I finally found the queen. I have had nothing but trouble trying to spot them. I actually sat down in a chair and went thru frame after frame slowly until I spotted her. Also spotted some drones, found eggs, and a few small hive beetles which I crushed. Lots of brood, capped and uncapped, larvae, pollen, and honey. I feel much better now that I spotted my first queen. It was fun.
It's like a Where's Waldo? for beeks! :D
Quote from: RZRBCK BEE on April 20, 2010, 11:07:02 PM
Today I finally found the queen. I have had nothing but trouble trying to spot them. I actually sat down in a chair and went thru frame after frame slowly until I spotted her.
What I do is look at the bees, their pattern, the ones that surround the queen. Easier to find her that way. So next time you spot her, watch the bees attending her and she'll be easier to find in the future. Also she is usually on one of the middle frames.
...DOUG
KD4MOJ
I use to work bees with a very old fella and he could tell you which frame she was on just by looking at how the bees reacted when he removed the inner cover. I never could figure that one out.
G3
The odd thing was, I watced a video that I bought from Brushy Mountain on queens and requeening and one guy said look on the side opposite of the sun if it's fairly warm and the queen is usually on the far side where it's cooler. Didn't think much about it and I started on the warm side and found her closer to the cooler side. Maybe I should've listened to him more. LOL
Here's some help for sptting queens:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesqueenspotting.htm (http://www.bushfarms.com/beesqueenspotting.htm)