I noticed my package and swarm bees bringing in pollen pretty good this morning. So I go to watch the hive I put three swarm cells in last Thursday a week ago (10th). Later on today I was planning on going in to check on the q cells to see if they had hatched. As I was studying the bees looking for pollen, lo and behold, there's the queen on the entrance deck! I guess she had just got back from a mating flight or something. I didn't see her land tho. I know I'm still in rookie status, but that was a queen. Not drone, not worker, queen. She was very long and starting to fill out.
..better get back out to building equipment and watching to see if they swarm. What a hoot! That made my day.
Congratz.
Good stuff, Gary!
Now I'm scratching my head. I saw her again yesterday afternoon. She came out in the opening, turned around and went back in. Is this a prelude to a swarm? Or maybe just another mating flight?
The queen has to strengthen her muscles. Then she does orientation flights then she will make her matting flights.
Thanks sawdust for the tidbit, makes plenty of sense. If I didn't know any better, judging by her size, I'd say she was bred already. I don't think there's enough days in the timeline for that. Also, if she was mated she'd probably either be laying eggs or starting a new colony somewhere.
Quote from: GSF on April 20, 2014, 01:04:04 PM
Thanks sawdust for the tidbit, makes plenty of sense. If I didn't know any better, judging by her size, I'd say she was bred already. I don't think there's enough days in the timeline for that. Also, if she was mated she'd probably either be laying eggs or starting a new colony somewhere.
Sounds about right. :-D
Jim
It will take her several days after she mates before she will start laying. Normally about 4-5days. And she may go on mating flights a couple days in a row.