Ever Get a Queen This Way?

Started by Stevebug, July 18, 2010, 08:05:18 PM

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Stevebug

July 18, 2010, 08:05:18 PM Last Edit: July 19, 2010, 05:10:33 PM by SiteAdmin
I got a queen in a very unusual way. I had a hive that died out just before the nectar flow ended and the bees dwindled down to zero. The robbing  started and that's when I noticed the cappings on the inside of the hive bottom. I took the hive apart to find wax moths had pretty much gotten in and ravaged one section deep. The other two deeps I have been freezing to put back on a hive to clean out the slight damage. Well I took the one deep that was wax moth infested to work to show my friend and new beekeeper (this year) what happens to a hive when it is weak. In any case I had set the box on the ground by my truck and did not notice but my friend said, "hey there's a bee there running around". Now this hive was dead and I know scavengers had gotten to it but when I looked down I saw her. It was a rather slender queen on the top of the frame going back down. There were no other workers there and she was by herself. I quickly found a jar, some paper towel and a few cells on the comb that had honey left in them. I put holes in the jar lid and she just about walked into it when I put the jar near her. I kept her in a somewhat AC'd apartment where I work and took her home that evening. I did not have a queen cage so I got out my spade bit, a piece of screen,staple gun, a piece of old non treated wood and a small support piece of wood. I made up some candy with confectioner's sugar and made a plug. Because the candy was so soft I decided to partially block the hole with some bee's wax too. That way she would have a few days for sure. I was able to get a small blue dot on her but since then it has been chewed off her. She is doing fine and laying well. Where she came from I can only look up and thank God. Several "never heard of's" in this story. I have since then been inspired to raise a few queens using the grafting method. I will see about raising some to requeen and perhaps a few splits that I can overwinter on top of other hives. That way I will have some queens when I need them or then again I could just Look Up!!    :roll:

Proverbs 3:5,6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.

beekeeper1756

#1
July 18, 2010, 08:49:58 PM
Stevebug,

What a great story.  I read it and still can't believe it.  I think God intends for you to have that queen.  What else can be said? :-D

hardwood

#2
July 18, 2010, 10:38:09 PM
Fantastic! Don't cha just love the way nature throws things at you like that?

Scott
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

lisascenic

#3
July 19, 2010, 04:09:20 AM
Crazy story!  Thanks for sharing.
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