Stupid Mistake - queen trapped

MikeG · May 09, 2007, 11:32:30 PM

OK, I'm telling you. It's tough being 57 and having a memory of a 75 year old.

I forgot to remove the cork over the candy on the queen box. They've been installed for 2 days now. Yes, I just realized that I missed this step.

What would be the experts advice? When should I go back in? Release her or just remove the cork?

This is embarrassing. Thanks for help again.

Mike

Kathyp · May 09, 2007, 11:34:49 PM

i don't think it's a big deal. i usually take a couple or three days to release my queens. this year i did it a little faster because of the weather.

go back and pull the cork. let the bees do their thing and check again in a couple of days to make sure she got out ok.

pdmattox · May 09, 2007, 11:35:22 PM

I'm no expert but i would say go ahead tomorrow and pop the cork, make a small hole( i use a small nail) in the candy and let them release her. jmo

TwT · May 10, 2007, 12:05:58 AM

Quote from: MikeG on May 09, 2007, 11:32:30 PM
OK, I'm telling you. It's tough being 57 and having a memory of a 75 year old.

I forgot to remove the cork over the candy on the queen box. They've been installed for 2 days now. Yes, I just realized that I missed this step.

What would be the experts advice? When should I go back in? Release her or just remove the cork?

This is embarrassing. Thanks for help again.

Mike

that is nothing, when I introduce a russian queen to a italian hive I leave the cork or cap on for about 4-5 days before I let them work on introducing her, the other bee's will feed them while they are in the cage, you aint hurt
nothing

AllanJ · May 10, 2007, 07:37:12 AM

I'm no expert.. but since she has been in the hive for 2 days, I would pull the staple from the screen and release her. Otherwise it could be another 3-5 days before she is out. After 2 days, the bees have had time to settle down.

sandhya · May 11, 2007, 01:40:51 AM

Hey....your okay...Im the fool who DID remove the cork...the wrong cork that is..and she flew out before I even had a chance to dump the girls in the box...but low and behold, even after I bought a couple more queens...she was still there, 6 days later..she never went far...instead I put a new queen in a nuk with a frame of bee's and she was either stung to death or starved in her cage after 3 days...so dont feel bad...I feel bad enough for both of us...

Scadsobees · May 11, 2007, 09:07:30 AM

QuoteOK, I'm telling you. It's tough being 57 and having a memory of a 75 year old.

LOL, are you sure that you aren't 57 with the memory of a 57 year old??? :-P :roll:

Most of the time you don't want her release much before day 3 or 4 anyway. Take your time and go back in and uncork the candy and poke a nail through it to give them a bit of start. Just make sure that the candy isn't down or a dead attendant (if there are those) can plug the hole.

Glad to hear that your package flying queen was fine, sandhya. Just stand still if it happens and she will probably fly in a circle a couple of times and land back where she left from.

Rick (who's 32 with the memory of a 57 year old). :-D

Mklangelo · May 11, 2007, 12:39:47 PM

My memory is excellent, it is just exceedingly short...

Shizzell · May 11, 2007, 02:01:53 PM

My Oppinion: (I know you'ved had around 10 so far)
Is that you should just release the queen right away if your hiving a new package of bees. That package acts as a swarm, and are very docile, thus they rarely take any action on their own (Like kill queens that they have never seen before)

I would walk into your hive, open the staples up, and set the queen on the top of a frame. She'll be fine.

My Two Cents.

Jake

ctsoth · May 11, 2007, 03:23:44 PM

I would also direct release the queen. I direct release the queen during install, and I have not had a refusal yet.

UtahBees · May 11, 2007, 03:45:05 PM

Let me make sure everyone's clear here.

I'd go and release the queen. You haven't done anything to harm her or the hive.

;) LOL

Michael Bush · May 11, 2007, 09:20:30 PM

She would have been there four days for a typical candy release anyway. I would have direct released her the first day.

I'd go back now and release her.

MikeG · May 11, 2007, 09:41:37 PM

You guys are great.

I went back in after having received a couple of responses and popped the cork. I sure wish I had released her then. I'm going back in tomorrow (2 days later, total 4 days), and make sure she's out. 3 - 4 days wasted, compared to a direct release.

The were dozens of bees on the queen box. As soon as I popped the cork, a bee moved in and attacked the candy.

I need to apologize, really, to all the 75 year olds. That was sort of an insult. I'm sure your each have a memory better than mine.

Zoot · May 12, 2007, 01:32:07 AM

I accidentally released one of my queens in a package last year by uncorking the wrong end. SInce the result was so pleasing - immediate start on build up - I have now done it a number of times and would never do it any other way with a new package. Just take normal precautions like lightly spraying the frames in her vicinity with a syrup solution, perhaps with some oil of spearment, peppermint, whatever.

sandhya · May 13, 2007, 12:53:11 AM

I love reading these posts too....
I have been spoiled by just installing NUKs and having wild swarms every year, this is the first year I put in a package...
they of course are building comb in the middle first...and they are all working like the dickens. I hope they have some frames filled by the end of next week and I start to see some brood!!! 8-)

Brian D. Bray · May 13, 2007, 01:42:27 AM

A queen from a swarm or package should begin laying eggs before the cells are fully drawn. A good queen will lay eggs in cells that have just been started and the workers will draw out the comb and cap the brood cells as the egg hatches, turns into larvae and then pupates. I would bet that you had eggs in the partially drawn cells that you did not see because you were looking for brood not itty-bitty grains of rice standing on end.