new queen hatched out last Sunday. today i got to watch her lay what i think were her first eggs. first couple of cells were rough. the bees seemed to by teaching her how to get her backside into the cells. after a few, she was doing great. she was a big virgin, and easy to spot, but it doesn't look like she's fattened up much yet.
anyway....i feel like a proud new mom :evil:
Well then, a Happy Birthday to all your new children. :-D Wow, that queen started laying fast. I've got two new splits in which the queen could have started laying as early as today. It does feel good doesn't it?
Congrats. I have 10 grafted cells in mating nucs. Or did have. They should have emerged Wednesday. I'll be checking for eggs tomorrow or Tuesday. Then every other day until I find them, "hopefully".
as it turned out, she didn't stay with it very long. this is fascinating. even though i know time lines, it's one thing to know it academically and another to observe.
now...is the laying something they work up to over a few days? i would have thought she'd look fatter? is that something that comes over the next few days also? she doesn't seem much bigger than the day i watched her hatch...
i'm leaving for japan in a couple of days. i sure hope she's well mated. it will be two weeks + before i get to check again.
Have a great trip. We will miss your input while you are gone--unless your are taking your computer with you.
ld
Congratulations on the new queen and hopefully she will continue to lay nicely.
Have a great trip over there and be safe. I guess you are visiting your son??
japan to see our youngest then england to see my sister. lots of flying :-\ should be fun on the ground though.
Are you watching your queen in an observation hive, kathyp? I've gotta get one of those.
Have a great trip...but please find internet access in your travels so you can help us (me) out if all hell breaks loose in the beeyard.
-Liz
i have a 5 frame observation hive in my LR. a few weeks ago i noticed that the original queen had quit laying. this hive was a small, late, swarm a couple of years ago and we had put them inside because we didn't think they'd make it outside. the queen had been very good....until she wasn't. it was like a switch was thrown and she quite laying. the hive didn't even catch it and no supersedure was done.
we pinched her and put a frame that had everything from capped brood to eggs in there. queen hatched on day 15....one week ago yesterday.
if it gets warm enough today to clear some of the bees out, i hope to see if she actually laid eggs yesterday, or was just learning the procedure. i'm pretty sure she's been out, but could be wrong.
yes, i am taking my laptop and should have access from time to time. i will check in when i can, but you all have many here who are far more experienced than i, and i doubt you'll even know that i am gone for a couple of weeks! ;)
Congrats on your new Queen
How exciting it must be, to have an OB hive, so much
to see in the bee world,and not disturb them a bit, while in the
comfort of your home.
I really need to find a way to get one
I know it would be good for me but may also be hasardous to general
house harmony :(
Hope you have a great vacation,
half way around the world :shock:
How grand is that
Enjoy
Tommyt
Quote from: kathyp on June 20, 2011, 02:48:39 AM
japan to see our youngest then england to see my sister. lots of flying :-\ should be fun on the ground though.
We'd like to hear about any experiences you have with beekeeping in Japan and England. When I travel outside the US, I always try to visit local beeks to see what they do differently.
probably won't get the chance in japan, but hope to in england. my sister lives in the south in the country and she knows a couple of people who know people with bees :-D we'll see how that works out.