worker bees killing queen bee... is it true?

[Chef Isaac]

hello all.

I read somewhere that to much out side disturbance can cause the worker bees to blame the queen bee causing the worker bees to kill the queen bee. If that is true, then would a weekly visit to the hive by the beekeeper be to much of a disturbance for that to happen?

[BILLY BOB]

During the spring flow I check my hives about once a week. This works quite well, but I try not to spend any more than 5 to 10 mins. in each hive. You start running into problems when the new beekeeper goes into their hive every day.

BB

[Michael Bush]

>I read somewhere that to much out side disturbance can cause the worker bees to blame the queen bee causing the worker bees to kill the queen bee. If that is true, then would a weekly visit to the hive by the beekeeper be to much of a disturbance for that to happen?

I have a queen right now from a hive I used to raise queens from last year. I was opening it every two or three days for something during some periods and not for several days other times. That queen is three years old and still there.

If you do a lot of manipulation every day or a skunk distrubs the hive every night, the bees MIGHT blame the queen and supercedue her.

On the side of not disturbing them, it does take a hive a while to get reoganized after a disturbance and it hurts production.

[garyl]

Based on that, should you do a fall "reversal" (brood chamber on the bottom, stores on the top) or just let a strong hive do it's own thing? I also might need to combine some weak ones...

[Michael Bush]

>Based on that, should you do a fall "reversal" (brood chamber on the bottom, stores on the top)

I try to get the stores on top. Seems like sometimes they just go straight to the top and stay there all winter.

>or just let a strong hive do it's own thing?

Odds are a strong hive will do OK regardless, but if it gets too cold for too long they may not get things rearranged enough as winter goes along. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it if you just leave them alone, but I try to get the stores on top. For me this seldom requires a reversal, but sometimes it does.

> I also might need to combine some weak ones...

Then combine them.

Bees won't kill the queen or abscond generally unless you're opening the hive every day and majorly disturbing them.

[bjerm2]

If the queen starts to run and become excited along with the workers then they will kill her. I find that it is more of the beekeepers fault when they go into the hive and start moving frames around. The bees do not go out of their way to kill her. When you open the hive go the outside frames and remove one and place it next to the hive. Then the next frame move it over to make some room as you inspect the hive. Be careful not to roll, squeeze, crush, etc the queen. When inspecting the frame make sure your over the hive just incase she (the queen) decides to jump off the frame. This way she will drop into the hive and not on the ground where you might step on her.
Dan