Help with Queen

billdean · May 09, 2017, 09:49:53 PM

I did a split on one of my hives on 4/22 and added a caged queen through a push in cage to the nuc I created. I released the queen on 4/24. On 5/3 I did an inspection to see if she had started laying and she had not, though I did see the queen and I did add a frame of eggs to hopefully help her along. Today I open up the hive again to check on any progress and she still hadn't started laying yet. There were no superseder cell started. Its now been 15 days and the queen has not laid one egg. I did notice the cells are polished real well now and they are starting a nice pollen arc on 4 or 5 frames in the center of the hive. I added another frame of eggs and closed up the nuc. They are bring in pollen and nectar well now. This nuc was started with a lot of capped brood and now has wall to wall bee on all 8 frames. I was not really wanting to wait another month for a laying queen but it looks like thats were its headed. If the queen doesn't start laying will they supersede her or will I have to go back in after another week and remove her?

jalentour · May 09, 2017, 10:07:53 PM

I'm pretty sure they can't supersede her without eggs.
Put in a frame of 1 or 2 day old eggs or very young larvae and see what happens.

iddee · May 09, 2017, 10:32:59 PM

If you bought that queen, I would demand a replacement.

billdean · May 09, 2017, 11:24:00 PM

Quote from: iddee on May 09, 2017, 10:32:59 PM
If you bought that queen, I would demand a replacement.

I did buy the queen. It doesn't sound like its their policy to replace it but I have contacted them to find out.

Bush_84 · May 09, 2017, 11:43:27 PM

Quote from: jvalentour on May 09, 2017, 10:07:53 PM
I'm pretty sure they can't supersede her without eggs.
Put in a frame of 1 or 2 day old eggs or very young larvae and see what happens.

If you reread his post you'll see that he already did that twice.

billdean · May 10, 2017, 10:48:57 PM

TTT

Sniper338 · May 10, 2017, 11:29:34 PM

Cant a new young queen take a bit to start laying?... seeing that they are filling cells around the brood nest and polishing up cells sounds like she isnt ready to lay just yet but they are getting everything ready for her...

jalentour · May 11, 2017, 12:58:11 AM

If you reread his post you'll see that he already did that twice.

Yes, I did read his post. All he can do is put new cells in as I suggested until he gives up on the queen.
He has been given other alternatives as well Bush 84.

billdean · May 11, 2017, 01:35:26 AM

Quote from: jvalentour on May 11, 2017, 12:58:11 AM
If you reread his post you'll see that he already did that twice.

Yes, I did read his post. All he can do is put new cells in as I suggested until he gives up on the queen.
He has been given other alternatives as well Bush 84.

Your suggestion is something that I have all ready been doing for the last 2 weeks. You might want to reread it out loud so you can comprehend whats being asked. "Hint" focus in on the last sentence. The one with a question mark.

little john · May 11, 2017, 08:57:08 AM

The answer to your question is 'Yes'.

It sounds to me very much like the queen didn't have a clean break-away during mating and now has a blocked ovipositor. If it isn't that, it may be something similar.

The problem with this situation is that the queen will still smell 'right', and will be wandering around spreading her 'footprint pheromone' wherever she goes. From the colony's point-of-view everything appears 'hunky-dory', and so there's no reason to supercede her. Fortunately, by the installation of open brood combs, you've been preventing the development of laying workers, which would have resulted otherwise.

If it were me, I'd have her out of there, pronto - and try yet again with another frame of open brood.
My guess is you'll get lucky next time.

LJ

iddee · May 11, 2017, 09:40:33 AM

""I did buy the queen. It doesn't sound like its their policy to replace it but I have contacted them to find out."

I would advertise their business for them here when they respond. ""EITHER WAY""

billdean · May 11, 2017, 09:44:10 AM

Quote from: little john on May 11, 2017, 08:57:08 AM
The answer to your question is 'Yes'.

It sounds to me very much like the queen didn't have a clean break-away during mating and now has a blocked ovipositor. If it isn't that, it may be something similar.

The problem with this situation is that the queen will still smell 'right', and will be wandering around spreading her 'footprint pheromone' wherever she goes. From the colony's point-of-view everything appears 'hunky-dory', and so there's no reason to supercede her. Fortunately, by the installation of open brood combs, you've been preventing the development of laying workers, which would have resulted otherwise.

If it were me, I'd have her out of there, pronto - and try yet again with another frame of open brood.
My guess is you'll get lucky next time.
LJ

Thanks Little John for answering the question. I assumed this may be the case. I will start looking for another carnelian queen and try again. I do have a 3 pound package of bees with a cari queen that has not been released to the new hive yet. Maybe I can take the queen out of the nuc and then combine with the package.

billdean · May 11, 2017, 09:46:10 AM

Quote from: iddee on May 11, 2017, 09:40:33 AM
""I did buy the queen. It doesn't sound like its their policy to replace it but I have contacted them to find out."

I would advertise their business for them here when they respond. ""EITHER WAY""

Thanks Iddee. I am still waiting for a response. I emailed them but I will try calling the today.

billdean · May 18, 2017, 12:39:27 PM

To bring everyone up to date on my queen situation. I purchased 2 queens and installed them on the 22nd of April. To date neither queen has laid any eggs. I took them both out of there hives at 3 weeks and put them in separate 2 frame boxes with bees and combine the rest of the hives back with other hives.
I have e-mailed the place I bought the queens from 2 different times now, and have called them 2 times with no reply. I just called them again and the phone just rings. No answering machine now. I still see they are selling queen on the web site though. I paid them with PayPal. I wonder if I can get my money back from PayPal by filling a complaint? Its just a mom and pop operation I believe and the people were very very nice when I was talking to them about ordering queens. But now, nothing. I really hate to go this route but I feel as if I have been taken!

GSF · May 19, 2017, 12:40:22 PM

There's certain steps you have to take with paypal, but you can get your money back. I wouldn't feel bad at all, business is business. I had the same problem with some folks in n. Alabama (Sand Mt Herbs) I paid for my product, they never sent it, never answered my emails nor returned my calls. I got my money back. Same story, seemed like a really nice fellow...