I have NO queen

Started by stella, June 01, 2012, 06:06:44 PM

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stella

June 01, 2012, 06:06:44 PM Last Edit: June 01, 2012, 06:21:08 PM by stella
I did a complete hive inspection today. No queen. No eggs. No larvae. Only a bazillion bees and a lot of honey and some pollen. What should I do?  :'(


I was so upset I forgot to give you some background info. I have 1 2nd year hive. 8 frame. Two boxes high with a honey super on top of it. I did see over a dozen queen cups. To my knowledge they were queen cups. I had my reading glasses on but I didnt see any eggs. I brought in 2 frames of honey and replaced them with empty frames. I will put on my super duper magnifying glasses and look them over.
"The hum of bees is the voice of the garden." — Elizabeth Lawrence

Greg

#1
June 01, 2012, 06:22:23 PM
If you have another hive whose performance you like, you can take a frame of eggs/new larvae and give it to this hive.  They will raise a queen up from it.
If you have no other hives (or none with the genetics you want to spread), then you need to order a queen.

stella

#2
June 01, 2012, 06:28:32 PM
It is my only hive. Where do I order queens from? Mail?
"The hum of bees is the voice of the garden." — Elizabeth Lawrence

Jim134

#3
June 01, 2012, 06:40:28 PM
At is possible the bees swarm out the how you got a virgin queen. If so she will be mate and laying egg in about 2 weeks.




   BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

stella

#4
June 01, 2012, 07:01:26 PM
All the queen cups were empty.
"The hum of bees is the voice of the garden." — Elizabeth Lawrence

Jim134

#5
June 01, 2012, 07:07:35 PM
Look in your brood nest area. If they backfill (honey or pollen) it too much the queen will not be able to lay and  have swarm out.  If they run out of room by backfilling than will swarm most of the time.



   BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

Jim134

#6
June 01, 2012, 07:13:59 PM
The virgin queen is out and virgin queen are hard to find in a big hive.



    BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)


"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

stella

#7
June 01, 2012, 07:23:24 PM
I went thru the whole thing twice. The frames are filled very nice. not over filled with honey. Beautiful pattern with honey layering the tops and then some pollen below that and then, sadly, all those empty cells where my little larvae used to grow. I had put in 2 empty frames last month to open up the brood nest.
Thank you Jim, for taking time to respond.
"The hum of bees is the voice of the garden." — Elizabeth Lawrence

iddee

#8
June 01, 2012, 08:10:51 PM
It sounds like you are between day 21 and day 30 after the swarm. I would find a queen source, make sure one will be available for shipment, and wait for 10 days. If no eggs then, I would order the queen and install her.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

asprince

#9
June 01, 2012, 08:29:42 PM
Quote from: iddee on June 01, 2012, 08:10:51 PM
It sounds like you are between day 21 and day 30 after the swarm. I would find a queen source, make sure one will be available for shipment, and wait for 10 days. If no eggs then, I would order the queen and install her.

Good advice. I do have two questions. Undeveloped queen cups or hatched queen cells? Any scattered capped brood?


Good Luck, Steve
Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resembalance to the first. - Ronald Reagan

stella

#10
June 01, 2012, 09:22:23 PM
Quote from: asprince on June 01, 2012, 08:29:42 PM
Quote from: iddee on June 01, 2012, 08:10:51 PM
It sounds like you are between day 21 and day 30 after the swarm. I would find a queen source, make sure one will be available for shipment, and wait for 10 days. If no eggs then, I would order the queen and install her.

Good advice. I do have two questions. Undeveloped queen cups or hatched queen cells? Any scattered capped brood?


Good Luck, Steve



The queen cups were open on the ends and empty. I didnt notice any capped brood. hmmm. Since I have no idea if and when they swarmed, how long will the bees survive without a queen?
"The hum of bees is the voice of the garden." — Elizabeth Lawrence

S.M.N.Bee

#11
June 01, 2012, 10:00:39 PM
Stella

As Iddee said a queen should have hatched out of one of the queen cells. It will take two weeks for her to mate and start laying. Wait 10 days and see if she starts to lay. If not borrow a frame of eggs and brood from someone and order a queen. More than likely she will be laying by than.

Good luck
John

LoriMNnice

#12
June 02, 2012, 01:30:21 AM
My hives are still kind of new but if she has no queen could I give her a frame of eggs and brood or would this be bad for my hive? Stella where in MN are you?
Lori

stella

#13
June 02, 2012, 11:03:03 AM
Hi Lori. That is so kind of you. I woudnt want to deprive your hive in its first year. We will see what the board posts about it.
I sent you a personal message. Let me know if you get it.
"The hum of bees is the voice of the garden." — Elizabeth Lawrence

iddee

#14
June 02, 2012, 11:33:16 AM
Lori, if your hive is more than 42 days old, it wouldn't be all that detrimental to remove a frame if you leave at least 3 frames of brood.  You would have to check your hive for strength and decide from there.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

LoriMNnice

#15
June 02, 2012, 12:16:59 PM
Quote from: stella on June 02, 2012, 11:03:03 AM
Hi Lori. That is so kind of you. I woudnt want to deprive your hive in its first year. We will see what the board posts about it.
I sent you a personal message. Let me know if you get it.

I got the PM.  my hives are doing pretty good as far as I can tell, the one was started with a nuc and I actually gave them drawn comb so they have been busy. I really don't see why I couldn't give you a frame from that hive. I am kind of a jaunt from you though I am by Shakopee/Chaska area. I am going to PM you the phone# of the guy I got my package from I think he is in St. Cloud(I might be wrong about that though it might be Stillwater) and he might have queens. Either way I am here if you need a frame
Lori

Course Bee

#16
June 02, 2012, 12:31:01 PM
Stella, I sent you a name and address of someone who might be able to spare a frame of eggs and larva. If not let me know. I am inspecting my hives tomorrow and should be able to get you a frame for your hive.

Tim
Tim

stella

#17
June 02, 2012, 12:38:04 PM
Thanks Lori. I got your PM.
I did locate a beek about 20 min from me. He is willing to sell me a frame but he said the problem in transporting the egg/larvae frame is that it cannot get chilled. And we are cool here. He thinks I should wait a few days and inspect again. (like some advised here also) So I will try that...if I can wait that long. :-\

Thank you all for your help. I will keep you updated.
"The hum of bees is the voice of the garden." — Elizabeth Lawrence

stella

#18
June 02, 2012, 12:41:10 PM
Thanks Tim! I had a nice chat with Chester. I could of talked bees with him for hours.
"The hum of bees is the voice of the garden." — Elizabeth Lawrence

LoriMNnice

#19
June 02, 2012, 12:47:37 PM
For transport fill up some tube socks with rice tie shut and nuke them for about 2-3 min until warm put those in a cooler then the frame and they should stay nice and warm for transport
Lori
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