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I used to live in Detroit, MI and now in India. I am used to honeybees during my childhood days in our villages, but only recently found time to start one at home. Our climate here is usually hot (80F during winter!). There is no organized network or associations in the city although these are established as cottage industries, coop farms in Southern Tamil Nadu State. It's nice to see this forum and hope to exchange notes.
Welcome
I hope others with more knowledge answer, but I'll try:
According from my notes from Dave Tarpy, Extension Apiculturalist with NC State Univ, virgin queens fly between 3:00 and 5:00 PM in clear weather, temperature above 60 degrees Farenheit and wind speed below 10MPH.
From what I have read the first queen tears a hole in the side of other queen cells. She may only start to do so and the workers finish the job and I damage the unemerged queen so that he dies.
Sometimes, the first queen will not find all the queen cells, another will emerge and they may fight to the death. This is the only time a queen uses her stinger.
Thank you so much for your quick reply. I moved the part of my posting (re queen bees) to "Queen Bees", as I felt it would be relevant there. Other readers, who find the questions missing, please see it under "Queen bees". thanks,
Welcome Shmi!