Queen Gone

alfred · May 27, 2014, 12:17:39 AM

Today I confirmed that I have lost my USDA VSH Breeder Queen. What a bummer!!

I checked for her a few days ago and couldn't find her, but sometimes they are hard to find. Today I looked again because I am getting ready to raise some more queens and I wanted to use her eggs. She is not there. Instead I found three queen cells confirming that they are replacing her.

I have no idea what happened to her. I looked all around , no queen dead or alive. Last time I saw her she was perfectly fine. It almost looks like she took off, but that makes no sense to me as she seemed to be settled in and laying fine.

Real Bummer $150 Queen that I never got any grafts from....

Alfred

BeeMaster2 · May 27, 2014, 06:20:20 AM

You are not alone. I have lost more queens this year than I care to admit. A lot of other people are telling me the same thing.
Jim

jayj200 · May 27, 2014, 09:08:58 AM

So where is a good place to buy queens?
jay

BeeMaster2 · May 27, 2014, 12:10:29 PM

Quote from: jayj200 on May 27, 2014, 09:08:58 AM
So where is a good place to buy queens?
jay

For your area, I would contact Scott Hardwood. Hardwood on this site. Send him a PM and see if he is making queens this year. He is south of Daytona.
Jim

alfred · May 28, 2014, 10:26:43 AM

Thanks for the support.

I will still be grafting queens. I just won't have the inseminated VSH Queen to do the grafts from, which is a bummer.

Alfred

Colobee · May 28, 2014, 01:57:11 PM

Sorry to hear of the setback.

On the bright side - it would appears "mating season" has finally arrived along the front range. I hope last week's rains didn't mess things up much for you.

jayj200 · May 29, 2014, 08:55:28 AM

Jim
what is hardwood's screen name searched the member list. he does not show up.

we got 6 guys down here all looking for queens. seams colonies turn mean

jay

BeeMaster2 · May 29, 2014, 12:27:08 PM

Quote from: jayj200 on May 29, 2014, 08:55:28 AM
Jim
what is hardwood's screen name searched the member list. he does not show up.

we got 6 guys down here all looking for queens. seams colonies turn mean

jay

Name: hardwood
Posts: 3482 (1.883 per day)
Position: Galactic Bee
Date Registered: May 06, 2009, 09:29:18 AM
Last Active: November 15, 2013, 01:51:26 PM
Click on members, then click on the Posts column. He is on the first page about half way down.
Click on his "Email".
Jim

RayMarler · May 29, 2014, 05:28:06 PM

So, you could raise those three queen cells for daughters, then graft from the daughters larva. That way you still get the genetics so the $150 is not a total loss.

alfred · May 30, 2014, 03:32:06 PM

That's my plan at this point.

Alfred