queen cell and very few eggs?

[Mitch]

This is 1 of 2 3#packages i put in on may 5th.I know the one had a virgin queen shook in with it.This was on anther post.the thing i see from the other makes me think i may have a virgin queen in it allso.I have seen the queen she is not very big.I can only find a few 3 or 4 larve and no eggs.But there is a large queen cell in the middle of one frame.Could it bee the queen there only managed to lay a few eggs and they are making a new queen?Or a virgin queen just starting to lay? i dont think i am going to get any more packages from this place.But then i have to find out where they cam from first.I have read that you get a virgin queen in a package sometimes How comon is this?

[BILLY BOB]

<Could it bee the queen there only managed to lay a few eggs and they are making a new queen?>

She may not be up to par and they are trying to supersede her.

<Or a virgin queen just starting to lay?>

DoesnÂ’t sound to good if you got a virgin on the 5th in a package and she is just now getting around to laying. IÂ’d still say she isnÂ’t up to par.

<I have read that you get a virgin queen in a package sometimes How comon is this?>

Not very common but is does happen from time to time. The problem that you may have ran into is they may have “banked” the virgins before putting them in the mating yards. If they waited too long before they removed them, the queens may not mate or may not produce any quality brood.

I would find out where the packages came from and tell them that you need 2 new “laying” queens. They should be happy to replace the failing queens. If they don’t then you need to make sure you post where they came from so the rest of us don’t run into the same problem in the future. Ether way I’d requeen, even if I had to buy them myself.

BB

[Mitch]

I will find out where they came from in the next few days.The strange part is 2 packges both have bad queens. but one has mated and is laying.another problem is i do not think the pstal service will insure bees this far north so my selection around here is not very good if there are any available at this time at all.So i may combine them with another hive so i dont loose everything

[Michael Bush]

The postal service is just insuring that the majority of the bees will arrive alive and healthy. They are not insuring that there won't be a vrigin queen in the package. This is the responsibility of the Bee supplier. Anytime I've had problems such as these my suppliers have always been willing to provide a new queen.

[Mitch]

Sorry guess i was not plain enough on Postal deal.I did not mean i thought the postal service was responsible for the virgin queen.I do not think they will insure bees at all to my nothern shipping zone.I had one package mailed one time all were dead and nuthing i could do.I think that was the
first year they started not insuring bees to my zone. So if i need a queen it may have to be mailed and i do not want to do that if i can help it.
Bob

[Michael Bush]

I've never had a queen arrive dead. Packages, yes, but the queens have never been a problem.

[Mitch]

Good news and bad.The queen i saved from being killed from my package is now laying took her 2 weeks.In the other package no queen at all now just one big seald queen cell.I am going to wait and see what happens.It is getting a bit late to start more bees so if i need i have decided to combine the one if it stays queenless. I did call the people i got the packages from.They have some queens if i need one.Very nice people GZBZ in Clyde Ohio.
Bob