Found Torn down queen cells

BurleyBee · November 13, 2021, 09:18:28 AM

Was topping off hives with 2:1 yesterday and came across a single that had 6 or so QC that had been torn open from the side. I didn?t see any eggs/Larvae; just some capped brood that?s yet to hatch. I guess there is a virgin running around? No way she gets mated this late right? I reckon I?ll leave them alone a couple weeks and check again.

BeeMaster2 · November 13, 2021, 09:29:13 AM

Burley,
It is possible you still have drones, I saw one in my hive at my farm last week. I was really surprised.
Jim Altmiller

BurleyBee · November 13, 2021, 09:32:30 AM

Yeah I?ve seen a few still. Maybe she?ll get mated. I guess In a couple weeks if I don?t see eggs I could just paper combine with another single.

Ben Framed · November 13, 2021, 10:49:43 AM

It will probably work out since drones are still present in your area, provided she makes it back safely from her mating flights. For curiosity, what time period had it been since the last time you was in this hive, before this inspection? In other words how much time was in between the past two inspections?

BurleyBee · November 13, 2021, 06:51:05 PM

2 maybe 3 weeks. Didn?t see her last but had some eggs. Maybe I rolled her looking.

Ben Framed · November 13, 2021, 08:34:31 PM

I bet you was careful. Most likely nature taking it course.

Oldbeavo · November 17, 2021, 04:27:38 PM

If it is that late in the season and you are feeding 2:1 then i wonder if there is enough stimulation for a queen to lay.
Some of our queens stop laying in winter and shrink down which makes them hard to find.
Give the hive a couple of weeks then go looking for a queen or if the bees are polishing a small area that they are not storing syrup in.
Most of the time the bees sort it out. Humans hit the panic button too quickly.

Ben Framed · November 26, 2021, 01:52:08 PM

Burley, How has this played out? Was you hive successful in its natural recovery effort?

BurleyBee · November 27, 2021, 02:50:05 PM

I just checked. Definitely queenless. What do y?all think? Paper combine with another hive? I have 5 really strong double deeps and one single hive that has 2 queens.

Ben Framed · November 27, 2021, 03:09:23 PM

I am sorry to hear that Burley. Since we posters here on this topic were talking about it, The weather has changed significantly in my area. Though we are both located in Mississippi I am in a completely different zone than you being I am further North than yourself. I was hoping things would hold out and your New virgin would have had time to mate and come home sucessfully.

Quote from: BurleyBee on November 27, 2021, 02:50:05 PM
I just checked. Definitely queenless. What do y?all think? Paper combine with another hive? I have 5 really strong double deeps and one single hive that has 2 queens.

That gives you at least two options for sure. (If this hive is still strong with bees), You could take one of the queens as a resource and attempt introducing her to the queenless hive. But keep in mind, one of these double queened hives is most likely set to be a supersede situation. It's a gamble as to whether both queens will survive until spring. (One may be old and on her way our naturally). The older established queen may be old and failing? But if she can last until spring you are ahead if she is still a layer. That option, (gamble), is the one I personally would take. (Requeen the queenless hive with the extra resource queen). Let me stress, I am not recommending you do this. The odds are strongly against you, I'm just letting you know what I would do, not being afraid to make that gamble while experimenting. Or you could do as you stated, a combination. Either way, make sure they have not entered the laying worker step. In that case just take them away form the other hives and shake them out. The good girls will beg their way into another hive.

BurleyBee · November 27, 2021, 04:04:33 PM

I don?t really have any faith in one of those queens though.

Ben Framed · November 27, 2021, 04:12:49 PM

Quote from: BurleyBee on November 27, 2021, 04:04:33 PM
I don?t really have any faith in one of those queens though.

In that case the combo might be your best bet. I would like to hear what Jim or Oldbeave, which posted before has to offer, they may have other options that we have missed. Or for that matter new posters to this topic, may have some good input to offer..

Phillip

BurleyBee · December 08, 2021, 02:01:09 PM

Drove the hive up to my camp where I keep most my hives. Was going to do a paper combine with another hive. Figured I?d give them one more look to make sure. I?m blown away. Makes up for not seeing any deer this morning.

Ben Framed · December 08, 2021, 02:22:47 PM

Quote from: Ben Framed on November 26, 2021, 01:52:08 PM
Burley, How has this played out? Was you hive successful in its natural recovery effort?

Good Burley! Im glad it worked out for you after all!! Awesome!!

Ben Framed · December 08, 2021, 02:45:56 PM

Burley you are several miles South of me. (hundreds)

I am curious, are you still seeing drones?

BurleyBee · December 08, 2021, 02:52:11 PM

I haven?t seen Drones lately. That?s why I was so shocked I ended up with a laying queen.

Ben Framed · December 08, 2021, 02:56:16 PM

Congratulations! What a good shock go have. We all need that kind of unexpected upswing in things form time to time. This was your day!

.30WCF · December 09, 2021, 10:17:47 PM

Check back later and see if any of the new eggs turn into worker or drone brood. I had a late queen this year come back unmated and laid up several frames of drone brood. She got the boot and I combined them with another hive.

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BurleyBee · December 10, 2021, 03:11:57 PM

Thanks. I didn?t think about that being a possibility.

.30WCF · December 10, 2021, 03:15:06 PM

Quote from: BurleyBee on December 10, 2021, 03:11:57 PM
Thanks. I didn?t think about that being a possibility.

I should have said poorly mated. There was a bit of worker the first week, but then she went to all drone.

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