Hello from Georgia

**Michael_C** · 05-22-2012, 06:41 PM

Hello, my name is Michael and I am a first year/month bee keeper. I live in southern Georgia. I have been reading up on beekeeping for more than six months and built my own equipment. I purchased five packages and installed them on 5/11. The education began that day! They have been an enjoyable and amazing hobby so far. I am having queen problems in two of the packages and joined the forum to find information and advice. Looking forward to a long relationship with the bees -- not sure who is keeping who. They keep me amazed!

**scdw43** · 05-22-2012, 07:00 PM

Welcome from right over the state line in SC.

**Specialkayme** · 05-22-2012, 07:02 PM

Welcome to the site!

**Nantom670** · 05-22-2012, 07:53 PM

What problems are you having with the two queens?

**Michael_C** · 05-22-2012, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by Nantom670

What problems are you having with the two queens?

A week after installing the packages, I found a clipped and marked queen in a ball of bees about 10 feet in front of the hive. I put her back in the hive. A few days later, I inspected and could not find her. I think she took another hike. I really think she was not mated right and went on a mating flight with clipped wings. There are no brood and no eggs. There are queen cells that seem to be empty. Another package also has queen cells and I can not find the queen in it. There is larger uncapped larva in it, but no small larva or eggs that I can see. I can not see larva in the queen cells either. Both hives are a little noisier that the other hives. I am going to reinspect tomorrow and make a determination on buying new queens. From what I have read in the forums, this is not uncommon for packages and swarm cells and lack of brood are indications of queenlessness. The other three hives have eggs and brood in all stages and the marked queens are relatively easy to find.

**Nantom670** · 05-22-2012, 09:21 PM

I would call the person that I got those from and tell him what has happened and see what he says. He may replace those two queens. Surely he thought that one with clipped wings was bred for sure because he would know she can not fly. Its not been two weeks yet, but they should be building comb and bringing in nectar and pollen and I would think she should be laying some eggs. Others will advise with more knowledge than I on this. I just installed my first two in March and May.

**Michael_C** · 05-22-2012, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by Nantom670

I would call the person that I got those from and tell him what has happened and see what he says. He may replace those two queens. Surely he thought that one with clipped wings was bred for sure because he would know she can not fly. Its not been two weeks yet, but they should be building comb and bringing in nectar and pollen and I would think she should be laying some eggs. Others will advise with more knowledge than I on this. I just installed my first two in March and May.

I did notify them and they seem indifferent. They said you can't second guess why they do what they do. I am new at this and don't plan to make an issue about it. I will just buy queens if I can get them. The other three hives have larva of all sizes and a few are capped already. I hope you hives are doing well. Thanks for the reply.