I have a hive that I started inspecting on the 21st. A queen was piping so I closed the hive and walked away. Today, the 26th, I was out watching the bees bearding, and heard piping again from the same hive. This is a very full hive I started in April.
How long do queens pipe?
Only Virgin queens pipe. Either one of two things happened,
1. Your bees swarmed.
2. They superseded her.
I'd be more inclined to say that if you have a strong hive that you started in April and you are just now inspecting, they swarmed.
I have never heard a queen pipe. But I also inspect my bees and know if they have swarmed, are about to swarm or are trying to supersede. I know that when I have queen cells or a virgin queen that I stay out of the hive until I know it is time to look for eggs. At that time you would not hear piping....
I have been inspecting regularly every 7 to 10 days since the hive was started in April. It was just that particular day that I stopped my inspection because of the piping.
What baffles me is if the queen has been piping for a week or if another one hatched.
>Only Virgin queens pipe.
I've seen mated queens in cages piping up a storm...
queens pip to each other, really. it is sort of like trash talking it is believed or a type of being a politician to tell the other bees "Hey, I'm the best, I am going to come out of this cell and beat the tar out of the other ones, because I'm the one you want." type of deal....least thats a theory, I do not speak fluent honey bee to know for sure.
So how long does it last? Only really as long as other queens are around, in their cells being developed/etc. 5 days isn't unheard of, and it can be from different sources also....if you hear a piping, and then suddenly a *ACK*, *COUGH*..."She got me...I'm coming home ester." then you know you probably won't hear it from the same sources the next day though, and someone was writing checks their butt couldn't cash. ;)
Quote from: Better.to.Bee.than.not on June 26, 2013, 06:32:25 PM
queens pip to each other, really. it is sort of like trash talking it is believed or a type of being a politician to tell the other bees "Hey, I'm the best, I am going to come out of this cell and beat the tar out of the other ones, because I'm the one you want." type of deal....least thats a theory, I do not speak fluent honey bee to know for sure.
So how long does it last? Only really as long as other queens are around, in their cells being developed/etc. 5 days isn't unheard of, and it can be from different sources also....if you hear a piping, and then suddenly a *ACK*, *COUGH*..."She got me...I'm coming home ester." then you know you probably won't hear it from the same sources the next day though, and someone was writing checks their butt couldn't cash. ;)
Don't Queen bees fight till one is dead ??? To me this is more than getting the tar out kicked you.
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Quote from: Jim 134 on June 26, 2013, 11:11:10 PM
Don't Queen bees fight till one is dead ??? To me this is more than getting the tar out kicked you.
heh, try to treat it as a family forum, but touche.