One blunder after another

Started by Myron Rotruck, July 17, 2005, 09:59:51 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Myron Rotruck

Hello to everyone, this is my first post here on Beemaster, so here goes my first plea. I have had bees before but just got back in with just one hive after a friend said he had pushed a tree over with a swarm in it so I went and got it. I just put a piece of plyboard over top and bottom of tree and brung it home. I bought a brand new hive and proceeded to transfer  the bees out of the log hive into my bought hive.  Well I somehow killed the queen, so I sent off and got one and they accepted her so after a week I looked in to see how things were going. When I lifted the frame up that the queen was on she took flight. I thought she might return, but, NO!!! Instead the workers found where she went and most of the workers went to her. Now I am with a real small swam of bees. I ordered another queen this time trimmed and marked; got her in the box and started feeding sugar water. Looked in to see how things were going again. This time what comb they have built is full of syrup and not building comb where they should. I have EZ all plastic frames and it seems they are determined not to put comb on the foundation. Then a friend said he was going to get some bees out of a trailer house and wanted me to help him and that he would give me some brood and bees for the help.  Well I needed them both. so I made me a screen divider and got everything I went for. I put my new bees on top of my little swarm and the next day I went out to remove the screen and top box with new bees to place some brood in the bottom where the queen and the little swarm were. Well I dropped the bottom screen and the new bees went all over the orginal swarm where the queen was and all. I was so aggravated that I went ahead and put the two together and let them duke it out. To my surprise there didn't seem to be much fighting  at all. I thougt well maybe I may have lucked out. NOT.  I didn't see much flying around so I looked in today and there was not as many bees in there as I had before I ever went and got the bees and brood from the trailer house.  I figure they have killed my new clipped queen. As I look back and see my bee handling blunders I have managed to take out two hives of bees and three queens. and have accquired several bee stings. And I still don't have a hive of bees. Does anyone out there need a apiary manager? Ha . :oops:  Could anyone give me some advice? (No I'm not going to sell my hive.) Myron

Michael Bush

>Well I somehow killed the queen, so I sent off and got one and they accepted her so after a week I looked in to see how things were going.

I'd probably let them raise their own becuase I like feral genetics.

>When I lifted the frame up that the queen was on she took flight. I thought she might return, but, NO!!! Instead the workers found where she went and most of the workers went to her.

Usually when a queen takes flight she will orient on you, the beekeeper.  If you stand still for 10 minutes and leave the hive open odds are she will return.

> Now I am with a real small swam of bees.

Why not recombine with the other hive?

> I ordered another queen this time trimmed and marked; got her in the box and started feeding sugar water. Looked in to see how things were going again. This time what comb they have built is full of syrup

Because you keep feeding them.

> and not building comb where they should. I have EZ all plastic frames and it seems they are determined not to put comb on the foundation.

Because it's plastic and I'm betting you have them equally spaced apart or you have 9 frames in the box.  Put in ten and crowd them toegerh in the center and I think you'll resolve the problem.  Also when they mess one up, flip it 180 degress.

> Could anyone give me some advice?

Leave them alone.  They will raise a new queen and everything else will settle out.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Jerrymac

Quote from: Michael Bush

> Now I am with a real small swam of bees.

Why not recombine with the other hive?

The small swarm he is talking about are the bees left in the colony. He didn't catch the runaways.
:rainbowflower:  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.   :rainbowflower:

:jerry:

My pictures.Type in password;  youview
     http://photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/