Any queens out there?

josbees · June 08, 2010, 03:31:23 PM

Mine is gone. I've got no brood and no larvae. Anyone know of a source for a quick replacement? I'm in CT.

asprince · June 08, 2010, 04:09:17 PM

Do you have only one hive? If you have another, give them a frame of open brood. If they are in fact queenless, they will start a queen cell immediately.

You may not bee queenless. If they were able to make a queen from the previous queens eggs, all larva will have hatched before the new queen starts to lay. Are they calm when you open the hive? If yes, you may have a virgin queen. How long has it been since you last saw eggs and brood?

Steve

josbees · June 08, 2010, 06:14:07 PM

Thanks, Steve, but I'm 90% sure I'm queenless. It's been a couple of weeks since there were any signs, and those were minimal. I only have the one hive, so can't pull a switch. So, I'm on the hunt for a replacement.

riverrat · June 08, 2010, 06:37:11 PM

Can i ask what you think happened to the queen. If the queen was accidentally killed or injured where she couldn't lay or the hive swarmed most of your brood will have hatched and there may be a dry spell up to 2 to 3 weeks before a new queen starts laying. I would give it another few days then check for eggs or young larva before i re queened.

asprince · June 08, 2010, 09:16:37 PM

I agree with riverrat. I would wait another week.

Steve

gundalf · June 08, 2010, 10:00:41 PM

I just went thru the same situation and chose to get a queen,ASAP, so as to avoid the population decline as much as possible... Got mine at Walter Kelley's in KY... They're in stock and online...
Got a Russian fertile,marked queen delivered in 3 days for $29.

asprince · June 08, 2010, 10:30:50 PM

Quote from: gundalf on June 08, 2010, 10:00:41 PM
I just went thru the same situation and chose to get a queen,ASAP, so as to avoid the population decline as much as possible... Got mine at Walter Kelley's in KY... They're in stock and online...
Got a Russian fertile,marked queen delivered in 3 days for $29.

If they accepted her great. If you have a virgin queen that is not yet laying, you can kiss your $29 goodbye.

Steve

riverrat · June 09, 2010, 12:52:03 AM

i wish i had a dollar for every post over the years that someone thought they was queenless spent the money on a new queen put it in the hive check it and after 5 days the queen is still in the cage and they then release her(and its usually a marked queen) only to post they found a marked queen dead outside the hive a couple of days later or they found the queen and it doesnt look like the queen they bought and it isnt marked. another few days wont make that much differents in fact if she starts laying in that time you saved 30 bucks and the hive is going to be a few days ahead of where it would have been if you ordered a queen. I know it is hard just starting out not to worry but personally i think a lot of people who think they are queenless really have a queen. very few times have i found a hive to be actually queenless

Hayesbo · June 13, 2010, 12:50:09 AM

I am one of those riverrat. I bought 3 queens to have them killed immediately. I learned a new term then, "honey bound" that was 45 dollars wasted.

MustbeeNuts · June 13, 2010, 10:51:33 AM

I think everyone has done that once or twice, I know I did ,, if patience is a virtue , I have no virtue.

TwoHoneys · June 13, 2010, 05:57:01 PM

Two of my three hives also "appear" queenless. Hive #1 swarmed 16 days ago. Today's inspection of Hive #1 shows no eggs and no larvae and diminishing stores. I'm choosing to remain patient as there are a number of open queen cells.

I installed hive #2 in April from a 3# package. Lots of young bees, and I thought everything was great...however, today's inspection shows no eggs, no larvae, diminishing stores, but a number of unopened queen cells (and they're irritable). I'll remain patient with that one, too.

Hive #3, also installed from an April package, is doing great. Eggs, larvae, stores. Happy sounds. Happy me.

My question: Besides being patient, what more should I do? Feed? Leave them alone? Swap frames around?

iddee · June 13, 2010, 06:33:37 PM

Two Honeys, if hive #3 has it to spare, I would take a frame of eggs and larva from it, no bees, and put in #2. 7 days later, I would check the frame for queen cells. If there were more than one, I would cut one out and install it in #1.

TwoHoneys · June 13, 2010, 06:43:46 PM

This is what I've been waiting for...a plan. And a good teacher. I'll give it a shot. Thanks, Iddee.

asprince · June 13, 2010, 06:45:28 PM

iddee, Please give a quick lesson or description of cutting a cell and transplanting it into another hive. I have thought about it but have never tried it.

Thanks, Steve

saritacoleman · June 13, 2010, 06:49:22 PM

We just started beekeeping and live in terror that we are going to squash the queen on our inspections. I even have dreams/nightmares about it. We've yet to see her even after we've analyzed photos. We bought a nuc box and she came unmarked. We have larvae...so she must still be there....the last time we checked anyway.

asprince · June 13, 2010, 06:52:58 PM

Quote from: saritacoleman on June 13, 2010, 06:49:22 PM
We just started beekeeping and live in terror that we are going to squash the queen on our inspections. I even have dreams/nightmares about it. We've yet to see her even after we've analyzed photos. We bought a nuc box and she came unmarked. We have larvae...so she must still be there....the last time we checked anyway.

I have been keeping bees for over 4 years and I still have trouble finding her in a large hive. I stopped looking and just look for signs. I accidentally find her quite often.

Steve

iddee · June 13, 2010, 07:25:00 PM

Start with a drawn frame. About 2 inches apart, cut at a 45 degree angle, vertically, 2 cuts. The 45 making the bottom of the cuts come out touching each other. Now cut across top and bottom and remove the V shaped comb.

Then cut the same size from the cell frame, with the cell in the center of it. Set the cell into the drawn frame and mash the edges in enough to secure it.

The bees will make the repairs.

davedill · June 14, 2010, 08:15:33 AM

i have a new queen coming for my "queenless" hive on Wednesday. After another inspection of this hive there are young larvae in there..... be patient.

greenbtree · June 14, 2010, 11:08:39 PM

My son and I split his hive. Did an inspection, lots of queen cells. Next inspection, no queen cells, hive packed full of honey, no eggs, larva, brood. "Be patient, the forum says, be patient, don't panic." I told myself. Next inspection, much honey gone, larva and capped brood wall to wall. Lesson? A few more days won't hurt.

JC