Drone activity on new package

ME Girl · May 20, 2012, 06:30:44 PM

Hello all,

Just got a package this weekend from Brushy Mountain. Mated and marked or so I thought. She is still caged as far as I know just installed yesterday and candy was still in there. But the drone activity today at the front entrance is odd. coming and going hanging out on the landing board and front of the hive. Is this just them orienting in case they need to fly later? or are do they smell a virgin out there somewhere? things that make me go hmmmmm

JP · May 20, 2012, 07:56:08 PM

Sometimes you could very well get a virgin in the mix. Did you notice a lot of drones in the package when you installed them?

...JP

ME Girl · May 20, 2012, 08:05:11 PM

We saw a few but the were mostly dead in the bottom of the box. When I was out there watching them (I really didn't get a lot done unfortunately) I saw some workers trying to keep them out and and some of the drones flew away. Like I said the queen is still in the cage and I told my husband she looked awfully small to be mated. (Granted I don't have a whole lot of experience but I am the one who usually finds the queen in our other two hives.) I don't know what I should do. Should I just leave them bee for awhile or should try to find a replacement queen. I know I'm probably going to be a little more neurotic seeings that they are in my garden here at the house so I will be watching them all the time. I just want to give them the best start possible

Kathyp · May 20, 2012, 09:57:22 PM

opinion warning!! :evil:

the biggest mistake we all make is trying to "fix" things. if it were me, i'd wait for it......

JP · May 21, 2012, 10:07:34 AM

Me Girl, I say this with much love, "Take a chill pill" :-D all may be well but you need to wait it out a bit. Mated queens' abdomens will shrink a bit once caged or if they're distressed, (not that yours is stressed out) but it is routine for them to shrink a bit when stressed or in transit. Heck, I caught one the other day during a cut out. When I caged her she was not very large but two minutes later she was huge! Let everything take its course. If you're not seeing eggs/young larvae in two weeks you then may need to investigate further but for now let things be.

...JP

AndrewT · May 21, 2012, 07:12:48 PM

Maybe the local bachelors are just trying to welcome the pretty young queen to the neighborhood.

Michael Bush · May 21, 2012, 11:47:13 PM

Seeing drone activity is a matter of timing. They all leave about the same time in the afternoon and return the same time in the evening. If you are there during drone "rush hour" you will see a lot of drone activity.

Country Heart · May 22, 2012, 06:21:36 AM

Quote from: Michael Bush on May 21, 2012, 11:47:13 PM
Seeing drone activity is a matter of timing. They all leave about the same time in the afternoon and return the same time in the evening. If you are there during drone "rush hour" you will see a lot of drone activity.

Great analogy - makes it easy to understand.

ME Girl · May 28, 2012, 08:55:02 AM

Thanks everyone! I did my first inspection the other day and the queen was out and about and there was drawn comb with eggs! Feel much better. I will try to relax some. :-D

jataylor · May 28, 2012, 09:19:50 AM

Fully appreciate the relaxing bit. That has been the hardest for me. Patience is something I'm having to learn with the bees! And that is a good thing! :-D

cdanderson · May 28, 2012, 10:59:08 AM

Yes, I would chill a bit. Often, I try to fix things too soon and later find out the the bees "did" know what they were doing...LOL Check back later to make sure they are queenright and in good shape.