[Jamie D]

Hi all,

I fear the strange behavior I saw yesterday may be a clue that they're going to take off on me again! There was just a flurry of activity, they were pouring out, flying around the general area above the hive, and pouring back in.

On April 20th, I saw a much more extreme version of this same activity, much higher into the air and all around.
On April 21st, half of my hive swarmed, and I was left queen less after an "experienced" beekeeper "helped" me out by culling all the queen cells and told me to order a new queen.

I had held out hope that a queen would be there after all, but when I inspected again on the 26th, there was not even a hint of a possible queen; they were very testy as well.
I combined one of the hive bodies from that (swarmed) hive with a weaker one using the newspaper method that day, which worked out great.

I ordered a queen, but she's not available until May 6th. I put Pseudo Queen in there on April 27th (a week ago today) to hopefully keep them calm and in good spirits until I can queen them.

So as there was very little brood left after what I had taken to combine, I decided to leave just one hive body on. They had utilized one of the supers for the queen cells that had been destroyed, so I left that alone until I get the new queen and will put the excluder on it then in addition to adding another hive body. There is another super on there that they're storing nectar in.

I figured if I gave them too much room after taking half of them to combine with the other hive, that would be a poor choice. Should I just add it now, or is their behavior indicating that it's probably too late? The queen will be here in 2 days.

Thanks!

 

[Jamie D]

Thanks for the replies. I hope it was orientation. I did see my swarm, as I call beenado, on the 21st, and the pre swarm on the 20th. It was not like that.
I always post before going into the hives- will I ever learn? :roll eyes:

Anyway, I spoke to soon- Surprise! There's a queen in there!



Any guesses how old she is?



I put another hive body on and left the Pseudo Queen in, was planning on leaving it till Tuesday. Please give me thoughts on that.

Now what to do with the queen I'm getting on Tuesday… A different post all together!

 

[Jamie D]

Thanks a million Slow Drone! I appreciate your advice.

I just took the Pseudo Queen out- literally just a little while ago. They are PISSED at me! It's still light out and 78F, but I've learned my lesson- never again after 8:00!

Good idea about making a nuc. Just brood and honey, no workers to give her? I would assume they would not be very nice to her.

 

[Jamie D]

Emerging brood with adhering nurse bees works very nicely.Foragers will just go back to the parent hive for the most part.With emerging brood and nurse bees won't be but real shortly that you have wortkers,nurse bees, and a place for the queen to lay.With emerging brood she can start laying after cells have been polished.

Thanks so much! It's going to be challenging, as I didn't have the excluders on and learned the hard way why people use them… Never had to my first 2 years.
I think by Tuesday, I'll be able to have something to give her from one of the hive bodies. it really is amazing how much I learn in a day. That is why this "hobby" is an addiction!

 

[Jamie D]

I know what you mean about learning! I have learned so much just in the past week. I guess for me, until it actually happens, and I go through it myself- it doesn't matter how much I've read about it in my books and magazines. That goes out the window because of the lack of practical experience.
Thanks for all the great insight and advice.

Keep me posted when you come to Louisville!!