My 8 frame observation hive has swarmed twice this year, the last time was late July. The day they swarmed, I saw a healthy looking queen in the hive yet. She was fat and large that enough I figured she was fertile. I saw her laying just days later.
Lots of larvae and brood appeared and hatched, but lately the hive seemed to be dwindling down pretty good with no sign of any eggs, and all the larvae visible had finished hatching.
I have this hive at a local vegetable market along with my honey for sale. Well yesterday While contemplating taking it down and combining the remaining bees with another hive, I spot a queen and she?s laying, laying really well I?m now seeing young larvae too . The owner of the market was so also looking with me and while I was checking out the other side he says ?I thought there was only one I queen in a hive? and he says there?s two here.
Thinking he was Probably seeing a drone, I go to look and low and behold there is a second plump healthy looking queen that walks right by the other while she was laying.
Sounds like a supercedure has taken place. Many times, the bees will allow the old mother queen to stay in the hive for awhile after the daughter starts laying.
Hmmm, I thought the old queen left with the swarm. After two swarming events I didn?t figure there could be an old queen. This older queen must not be up to par huh?
Quote from: iddee on September 23, 2018, 08:39:55 AM
Sounds like a supercedure has taken place. Many times, the bees will allow the old mother queen to stay in the hive for awhile after the daughter starts laying.
that`s what it sounds like to me, too.
Quote from: splitrock on September 23, 2018, 09:05:48 AM
Hmmm, I thought the old queen left with the swarm. After two swarming events I didn?t figure there could be an old queen. This older queen must not be up to par huh?
Yes, the old queen leaves with the SWARM. In a supercedure, the old queen stays and they lay side by side. This really helps the hive recover quickly from a failing queen.
Jim
so, in this case likely not an old queen problem after swarming twice already. Maybe a sub par young one being superseded?
A new queen after a swarm becomes an old, fat queen in about 2 weeks. You can't tell her from a 3 year old queen.
Quote from: iddee on September 23, 2018, 01:59:54 PM
A new queen after a swarm becomes an old, fat queen in about 2 weeks. You can't tell her from a 3 year old queen.
well, an older queen will have less hair and the wings might be a bit.... look like being nibbled on. but it`s really hard to tell!
So who will be in charge of dispatching the old royalty?
Group decision by the workers.
Nice that daughter doesn?t have to get rid of mom.
Quote from: sawdstmakr on September 23, 2018, 10:50:22 AM
Yes, the old queen leaves with the SWARM. In a supercedure, the old queen stays and they lay side by side. This really helps the hive recover quickly from a failing queen.
Jim
Hey Jim, is this always the case? I didn't do a full inspection of my big hive for about 3 weeks, and last weekend when I went into the brood nest there was hardly any brood. There was a frame of capped worker brood however, and on it was a queen cell that was already hatched, along with an empty queen cup. I checked the next frame for any more queen cells, and I saw a mated queen on that frame. I assumed that the old queen had already been dispatched, and this mated queen was the new one, but is it possible that I saw the old queen, and the new queen isn't yet mated or laying?
Member,
It is very likely that you saw the old queen and the new queen has not made her maiden flight yet. The nice thing about this is that if she does not return, they just make another queen.
Jim
Should I be concerned about the fact that there was basically no brood? Other than the frame the queen cell was on, there was about another 1/2 a frame of capped worker brood, a smattering of capped drone brood, and that was it. The bottom medium was ENTIRELY empty of brood, except for literally 2 larva.
Jim, they are both laying. Also, while I watched they were both busy. Had a hard time getting a pic of both out of the cell they were laying in at the same time.
Quote from: splitrock on September 25, 2018, 08:23:32 PM
Jim, they are both laying. Also, while I watched they were both busy. Had a hard time getting a pic of both out of the cell they were laying in at the same time.
I would like to see that photo.
Jim
I?ll try
[attachment=0][/attachment]
Nice. That is the first picture of queens laying side by side that I have seen. Good job.
Jim
Why am I "not allowed to view attachments"?
Quote from: blackforest beekeeper on September 26, 2018, 03:14:29 PM
Why am I "not allowed to view attachments"?
Are you not seeing the picture of the 2 queens in splitrock?s post? It should show up as a picture, not an attachment.
I do not see anything in your profile that would stop you from seeing attachments.
Jim
Are you signed in, or are you viewing as a guest. You may have to sign in to view the pic.
Quote from: sawdstmakr on September 26, 2018, 05:30:22 PM
Quote from: blackforest beekeeper on September 26, 2018, 03:14:29 PM
Why am I "not allowed to view attachments"?
Are you not seeing the picture of the 2 queens in splitrock?s post? It should show up as a picture, not an attachment.
I do not see anything in your profile that would stop you from seeing attachments.
Jim
No, there is just that phrase: "you are not allowed to view attachments"
Quote from: iddee on September 26, 2018, 05:33:28 PM
Are you signed in, or are you viewing as a guest. You may have to sign in to view the pic.
No, I am signed in. Couldn`t post otherweise as BFB?
I suspect Germany is restricting what you can view. A lot of countries do it. We cannot view a lot of videos created in the European area.
Jim
Quote from: sawdstmakr on September 27, 2018, 12:36:47 PM
I suspect Germany is restricting what you can view. A lot of countries do it. We cannot view a lot of videos created in the European area.
Jim
woah!!! never ever thought of that. bunch of....
divide and dominate...
They are both still going at it.
Quote from: blackforest beekeeper on September 27, 2018, 12:42:30 PM
Quote from: sawdstmakr on September 27, 2018, 12:36:47 PM
I suspect Germany is restricting what you can view. A lot of countries do it. We cannot view a lot of videos created in the European area.
Jim
woah!!! never ever thought of that. bunch of....
divide and dominate...
Do you have a VPN? If you do, you can change you location to the USA and be able to see the pictures. My son if a computer nut and using the VPN he watches videos created in Europe before they allow us to see them. The ones he watches are about nature.
The one he has is HotspotVPN. It allows you to put it on 5 different computers. It is a one time cost of $100 for forever.
Jim