The Lesson of Beekeeping: Wait. Just wait.

[Donovan J]

So I made a post a while back about my top bar hive (Hive 3) and I couldn't find the queen or any brood. This week, that all changed. I looked in there today expecting to see no brood and will have to re-queen the hive. I already did some looking around for queens for sale online and decided that if I couldn't find the queen I would try doing Italians. Then today i started seeing eggs a few bars in. I though that was weird and hoped that there wasn't a laying worker. But again like the situation in Hive 1, they were on the bottoms of the cells and there wasn't multiple eggs per cell. I looked some more and there she was! I was filled with relief and grabbed my queen marking gear. After her falling off the frame and a bit of hassle I marked her and put her back in. I'm thinking about letting this hive go on its own because they are starting to make their comb all wonky and its a big mess. I think I like Langstroth hives better.

[van from Arkansas]

Xerox, good story that has a happy ending.  I know the feeling of relief you experienced when you laid eyes on the queen, makes ones day for sure.
Blessings

[Donovan J]

Xerox, good story that has a happy ending.  I know the feeling of relief you experienced when you laid eyes on the queen, makes ones day for sure.
Blessings

Yes. She isn't as big as her mom but shes doing well.

[FatherMichael]

Yes, a valuable lesson.

Coming back after so many years away from it I've worried over every little hiccup at the hive.  Just before the Mesquite flow the hive was way low on stores and there was little brood -- so little that I thought the queen was dead!  I started feeding, waiting, and they zoomed back.

There was a population explosion during the flow and heavy bearding during some hot days.  All of a sudden the bearding stopped, there was little activity, and I thought they might have swarmed.  If so then, waiting, I should not do an inspection.


Today there are many bees orienting and things look fine.

I often worry needlessly.

[TheHoneyPump]

I am concerned for the bees by --letting this hive go on its own ...--
Perhaps instead consider getting another langstrothe hive to move the bees and that nice fresh queen into.  It would be best to do so asap before they waste their efforts doing much work in the top bar.

A repurposed top bar hive does make a nice storage chest for your bee suit and bee supplies.

[Donovan J]

I am concerned for the bees by --letting this hive go on its own ...--
Perhaps instead consider getting another langstrothe hive to move the bees and that nice fresh queen into.  It would be best to do so asap before they waste their efforts doing much work in the top bar.

A repurposed top bar hive does make a nice storage chest for your bee suit and bee supplies.

You gave me an idea. I'll go out and get some foundation-less frames and try to cut out and stick the frames onto there. Idk this may end in a disaster but I'll cage up the queen and give it a try.

[Acebird]

After her falling off the frame and a bit of hassle I marked her and put her back in.

I would have let the queen get more established before marking her.  That would be the second wait.

[Donovan J]

After her falling off the frame and a bit of hassle I marked her and put her back in.

I would have let the queen get more established before marking her.  That would be the second wait.

There was well developed brood in there almost capped so i guess that is pretty well established.