give it a few days and look for eggs. I have sadly had a mated queen fly off when releasing her also. Its a crummy feeling but it happens mate unfortunately. If she flew away shes gone.
Did my $40 fly away?
Four days ago I made a split and introduced a mated queen. Today, I checked to see if she had been released. The bees had eaten all the candy but the queen had not left her cage so I figured I'd open the screen and let her out -- I should have remembered that a queen can fly if she's not laying! I saw her hover in the air, but then I lost track of her. I think she went down into the comb but I'm not sure. Afterwards, the bees at the entrance started fanning with their nasonav glands. Does the fanning mean they are trying to show her where to go or does it mean she's in the box? I looked around for her but didn't' see anything.
Thanks
Thanks
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I learned the hard way to keep the hive open for awhile, she may fly back.
Check in another day or two. I lost the first two queens I bought, the next six were all accepted using a combo of two pieces of tape over the candy and push in cages for the ones that were never released by the bees. When I was releasing one from the push in cage she flew off but was there laying the next day.
Do let us know what happens.
I'm going to check on them tomorrow morning. I'm optimistic that she is in the hive, I'll let you know how it goes
This is where the soft covers are great.
You open the cage, promptly put it down on its side, and cover with the cover (in a pinch, cover it with any piece of paper/fabric).
Soon enough your expensive queen will exit the cage and get where she belongs.
Why all these nerve wrecking shows?
You open the cage, promptly put it down on its side, and cover with the cover (in a pinch, cover it with any piece of paper/fabric).
Soon enough your expensive queen will exit the cage and get where she belongs.
Why all these nerve wrecking shows?
Bad news, she flew away. No evidence of eggs and lots of queen cells. There should be a laying queen in the hive by September which will allow for at least two brood cycles. There are three good frames of capped brood that should help her get started fast. I will continue to feed heavily
HayHayBEE, I lost several queens to fly aways earlier this year. At least they were ones I had raised so was not out of pocket any money. Still, the feeling you get as you watch her fly away is quite disheartening to say the least. I would hate to have to explain to my spouse why I had nothing to show for the $40 check I wrote. :lookout:
Well, I was wrong.....
I went into the hive today to cut out some queen cells for use in another hive. Imagine my surprise when I saw a big, golden queen! My only concern is why the bees built queen cells in the first place. I knocked off all the additional queen cells I saw, but I probably missed some. There were definitely larva inside the queen cells. What else can I do? What will happen when those virgins hatch out?
I went into the hive today to cut out some queen cells for use in another hive. Imagine my surprise when I saw a big, golden queen! My only concern is why the bees built queen cells in the first place. I knocked off all the additional queen cells I saw, but I probably missed some. There were definitely larva inside the queen cells. What else can I do? What will happen when those virgins hatch out?
Your queen will be toast, mated queens don't fight, they just lay eggs, virgins are out for blood.Well, I was wrong.....
I went into the hive today to cut out some queen cells for use in another hive. Imagine my surprise when I saw a big, golden queen! My only concern is why the bees built queen cells in the first place. I knocked off all the additional queen cells I saw, but I probably missed some. There were definitely larva inside the queen cells. What else can I do? What will happen when those virgins hatch out?
The bees sense queenlessness when queen is being introduced in wood cage or push in cage. Queen pheromone is not well distributed throughout the hive. I find it quite common for queen cells to be started.
I go back on the third day after installing the queen in a cage and do a frame by frame check for queen cells and then remove the cage or remove the cork. It is best to shake the bees off the fame to do a thorough check for queens cells.
???Seems the bigger the hive and more older bees, the worse it is for queen cells to be started.
I go back on the third day after installing the queen in a cage and do a frame by frame check for queen cells and then remove the cage or remove the cork. It is best to shake the bees off the fame to do a thorough check for queens cells.
???Seems the bigger the hive and more older bees, the worse it is for queen cells to be started.
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
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