queen gone, requeening

chickenwing654 · May 31, 2015, 10:07:03 PM

Hi,

New Beek. I am having a hard start with my nuc this year. When I started, I couldn't find my unmarked queen. I thought it was my inexperienced in finding her. I gave it a week and rechecked the next week. Found no queen again, and no new eggs. I requeened my colony with a virgin queen in a queen cage with candy. Seen she was out in three days. Been two weeks now, and no eggs still and can't find queen. Only thing left is some older larva and plenty of honey and pollen.

I just requeened again today with a marked queen. How long before I should be finding some eggs laid? There appears to be six queen cells in the middle frames on two different frames. Should I leave these cells alone? What are your thoughts on this colony surviving since there is hardly any brood left?

thanks
David

Kathyp · June 01, 2015, 12:38:56 AM

where did the queen cells come from?

you may not have given your virgin time to mate and start laying.

how many bees are left. can you pop a frame of eggs and young larvae from another hive, in there?

if the new queen you put in has room and is properly mated, she should start laying right away. leave them alone for 3 days or so and check.

if you have doubts about what you are seeing, post some pics so we can help you out.

What do the stores look like, in particular, the pollen?

chickenwing654 · June 01, 2015, 06:40:55 AM

Hi,

I started this year with a package first, then a nuc two weeks later. I was planning on putting them in Maine (300 miles away) from me at my house (package is in Maine now). My package bees are building comb like crazy and very active with new brood so I put another box while there. My nuc I installed at my uncles house, the next town away from me in MA. He was into bees eight years ago, and is giving his advice along the way.

My package had twice as much bees as my nuc during installation. I am thinking they are queen cells (maybe emergency cells). During installation while looking for the mated queen, I noticed two cells in the middle of the frames, not capped. With older brood no eggs on the frame. After re-queening the first time, I noticed another cell built.

My last requeening (yesterday) there are now six cells built in total, and three are capped now. There is very little brood left, with the majority being honey. I will take some pics when I check to see if queen is released mid week.

Thanks
David

sc-bee · June 02, 2015, 08:42:57 PM

Queen in a cage and leaving the queen cells? And now the queen cells are capped? And the caged queen still in this colony? Did I miss something....

sc-bee · June 02, 2015, 10:36:16 PM

Are you sure they are queen cells or do you perhaps have capped drones? As Cathy said add a frame with some eggs if you have any. You will know in a few days? Save the queen don't chance it right now IMHO.

chickenwing654 · June 03, 2015, 07:18:13 AM

Hi,

Thanks for the help. I am going today to see if queen is out of queen cage. I will try to take pics.

I am new at this this year. Let me explain something. I have my Nuc at my uncles house (next town away from me). He had bees for ten years. He is watching over my shoulder and adding his thoughts. I installed nuc first week in May. During install I couldn't find queen, but plenty of older brood. I noticed three (appears to be queen cells) on the frames. I reported this to my supplier. I was told to give it three days and recheck for any new eggs.

I (and uncle) rechecked three days later and found no new eggs. This time I still had three cells built on one frame (uncapped). I requeened with a queen with half eaten out candy. I assume she was released and maybe balled by the bees (not accepted). Gave it two weeks, and checked frames again. Now there are six cells built (center of two different frames, about a inch long and drooping downward) these are capped now.

Just a handful of old brood left. So I requeened a second time three days ago (Sunday). On Sunday there was six (queen cells, or maybe emergency cells built on the frames with the queen Still in the queen cage, so I am not saying the new queen is laying queen cells still in her cage).

Maybe I am not expaining this right, I don't know. I am assuming the cells built are from a worker bee are drones from unfertilized eggs? It doesn't look like a drone cell, inch long and droops down.
As for the adding a frame, I wish I could. My maine bees from a package is thriving with plenty of brood. My MA bees are dying off.

Thoughts?
thanks all

David

Kathyp · June 03, 2015, 11:22:11 AM

we really need some pics. when you requeened the 1st time did you leave the queen cells?

The reason i'm asking is that if a virgin queens hatched, they may well have killed your caged queen. then you didn't give one time to mate and start laying OR she didn't make it back. I'm not sure where your newer queen cells are coming from unless the first requeen had a chance to lay some before being killed.

At any rate, you can't requeen and leave queen cells. one or the other or you have queen wars

sc-bee · June 03, 2015, 02:27:20 PM

Quote from: sc-bee on June 02, 2015, 10:36:16 PM
Save the queen don't chance it right now IMHO.

One or the other will lose, queen cells or caged queen, most likely caged queen. With cells in the hive the bees usually think they have a new queen. Not a good scenario for the caged queen.

chickenwing654 · June 04, 2015, 10:59:00 PM

Hi,

My new queen is out of queen cage, and out on the frames with the bees. I had my uncle take a few pics, but they didn't come out that good. How long before I should check if she is laying? Recap Sunday May 31 in queen cage, Wednesday she is out.

To answer a couple of questions, the cells might of been emergency cells. I left them on the frames. I do think I lost my first requeening due to candy being almost gone when I put her in the hive.

thanks
David

Kathyp · June 04, 2015, 11:07:48 PM

as long as she has room to lay and is accepted, she'll start right away. give her a few days an recheck.

chickenwing654 · June 13, 2015, 12:31:55 AM

Hi,

Update, Lots of new brood on two frames now.

Still can't find the marked queen, but not concerned, since she has been laying recently.
My uncle believes I shouldn't feed a nuc, only a package.

I have read comments on others feeding a nuc. Would they benefit in trying to feed it? Or is it too late in the season? They are slow in building comb on the new frames compared to my package bees. Or it might be because the nuc had half as many bees as my package of bees.

Thanks
David

chickenwing654 · June 13, 2015, 12:36:59 AM

Hi,

Another thought, I am checking on my Maine bees next weekend. If they are still thriving, should I take a frame of brood down with me to boost the MA hive?

If so, what is the best way to transport the frame for the best survival rate (5 hour trip) ??

thanks
David

OldMech · June 14, 2015, 12:56:34 AM

My uncle believes I shouldn't feed a nuc, only a package.

they are your bees, do as you please!

I feed my nucs if they are just placed, or if they are building comb. I do not feed them FAST like you would to prep for winter, I feed them slowly, three or four holes in the jar lid so they GET syrup to use for comb, but not enough to fill the comb...

biggraham610 · June 14, 2015, 01:25:24 AM

Thats a great Idea OldMech. I need some comb built in my last splits coming up, Im going to give it a try. thanks. G