Trying to save a colony that isn't worth saving.
Second Queen in Two Months Has Disappeared
First queen disappeared after one month. Initially there were eggs, larvae and capped brood. Then there was no evidence of a queen. I purchased a second queen from an experienced bee keeper who even checked the hive to make sure she was really gone. The second queen initially laid lots of eggs, which turned into healthy larvae, then capped brood at the beginning of June. Today, July 6, no eggs, no larvae, last stages of brood about to break out. No evidence she is there including not seeing her in a population diminished hive.
What is happening to my queens? This has to be a record? What could I be doing wrong?
What is happening to my queens? This has to be a record? What could I be doing wrong?
1 - 20 of 26 Posts
BUT what can be done going forward so that we arent in this situation....log activity and get pictures so we get a bigger picture of what may be occurring
Good suggestion. I will take some photos and post tomorow.
I have wondered if this was the case. But where would the queen be going? And why? What makes a colony not worth saving? Bad genetics from the start?
Under normal conditions they should have built queen cells. I had a hive once though that wouldent. No laying workers. I would give them frames of eggs and they would be gone the next day. Gave them a frame with a capped queen cell on it and at next check it was gone.
All frames were delivered with nurse bees attached.
Luckily SHB took them before I went thru every bee I had.
Sometimes they make up their mind to die and won't have it changed.
All frames were delivered with nurse bees attached.
Luckily SHB took them before I went thru every bee I had.
Sometimes they make up their mind to die and won't have it changed.
Thanks Wolfer for your reply.
They are also extremely docile. I don't know if this has a connection or not.
They are also extremely docile. I don't know if this has a connection or not.
Patricia, I'm in exactly the same boat. I just confirmed that queen #2 is missing too. This hive is particularly peppery. Is yours mean too?
No! My bees are so docile that I don't even have to use smoke. When my beekeeping friends took care of my hive while I was on vacation, they didn't wear masks or gloves. It's like they don't even give a darn.
They are not in full sun and I wonder if that has anything to do with it? Morning sun, mid afternoon shade, late afternoon sun.
It's a top bar hive.
They are not in full sun and I wonder if that has anything to do with it? Morning sun, mid afternoon shade, late afternoon sun.
It's a top bar hive.
Hi,
My other hive is extremely docile too, amazing how different they are. This whole queenless situation is very frustrating too. I'm now trying to find a third queen for this hive.
My other hive is extremely docile too, amazing how different they are. This whole queenless situation is very frustrating too. I'm now trying to find a third queen for this hive.
Notice that one of the previous responders suggests that it may be hive not worth saving.
I'm serious! Maybe your queen not like a TBH.
Did she came from a langs hive?
I don't know where she went kinda like a CCD.
It could be that the workers had killed her too. I would try to raise them in
a langs hive to see.
Did she came from a langs hive?
I don't know where she went kinda like a CCD.
It could be that the workers had killed her too. I would try to raise them in
a langs hive to see.
She probably came from a langstroth. I hadn't considered this. Thanks for your ideas and response. I hope I eventually "get it," but realize I may not.
Have the same thing happen to one of my hives. Two queens gone.
I combined them with feral trap out bees and added a frame of eggs. Queen cells everywhere in a short time. NOW queenright for a month with no issues.
BTW, the hive in question started out as a purchased package. I will take starts from feral bees any day over packages.
beepro... you crack me up. lol
I combined them with feral trap out bees and added a frame of eggs. Queen cells everywhere in a short time. NOW queenright for a month with no issues.
BTW, the hive in question started out as a purchased package. I will take starts from feral bees any day over packages.
beepro... you crack me up. lol
This is great advice. Thanks.
>What is happening to my queens? This has to be a record? What could I be doing wrong?
Sounds like supersedure and they never made it back from their mating flight. Raised queen are not as good as hive raised queens. Packaged bees replace their queen 20% of the time. There are alot more preditor this time of the years (dragon flies and robber flies...)
>They are not in full sun and I wonder if that has anything to do with it?
Hives do better in full sun, but it should not make a difference with raising a queen.
>Notice that one of the previous responders suggests that it may be hive not worth saving.
You can spend allot of time and resources and quite a few will die anyways. As the population dwindles it will get harder and harder to save. They are easily robber out and taken over by SHB.
>last stages of brood about to break out.
That mean it has been less than 21 days since you had a laying queen. It takes about 30 days from egg to a laying queen. Still possible there is a virgin/new queen in the hive.
What does you brood look like, nice tight pattern or shot gun pattern, got pictures? Any older picture while they had larva?
Give them a frame of eggs/larva and see what they do. If they make q cells you will know they are queen less. If they don't then you will help increase the population until the new queen starts to lay. It takes 24 days of broodless to make a drone laying worker, open brood will suppress this.
Give them one frame of brood a week for 3 weeks should fix it.
Sounds like supersedure and they never made it back from their mating flight. Raised queen are not as good as hive raised queens. Packaged bees replace their queen 20% of the time. There are alot more preditor this time of the years (dragon flies and robber flies...)
>They are not in full sun and I wonder if that has anything to do with it?
Hives do better in full sun, but it should not make a difference with raising a queen.
>Notice that one of the previous responders suggests that it may be hive not worth saving.
You can spend allot of time and resources and quite a few will die anyways. As the population dwindles it will get harder and harder to save. They are easily robber out and taken over by SHB.
>last stages of brood about to break out.
That mean it has been less than 21 days since you had a laying queen. It takes about 30 days from egg to a laying queen. Still possible there is a virgin/new queen in the hive.
What does you brood look like, nice tight pattern or shot gun pattern, got pictures? Any older picture while they had larva?
Give them a frame of eggs/larva and see what they do. If they make q cells you will know they are queen less. If they don't then you will help increase the population until the new queen starts to lay. It takes 24 days of broodless to make a drone laying worker, open brood will suppress this.
Give them one frame of brood a week for 3 weeks should fix it.
Flower Planter,
Thanks for all the great information. This is the hive apprx. 3 weeks ago:
![Honeycomb Bee Beehive Honeybee Insect]()
![Bee Honeybee Honeycomb Beehive Insect]()
![Honeycomb Bee Honeybee Beehive Beekeeper]()
One week previous to this there were a ton of well placed eggs.
Unfortunately, I started with one hive and do not have the resources that you suggest. So, if I have to start over next spring, I will definitely start with two hives. An expensive lesson I've learned.
Without those resources, my only option is to let it be and die out?
Thanks for all the great information. This is the hive apprx. 3 weeks ago:
One week previous to this there were a ton of well placed eggs.
Unfortunately, I started with one hive and do not have the resources that you suggest. So, if I have to start over next spring, I will definitely start with two hives. An expensive lesson I've learned.
Without those resources, my only option is to let it be and die out?
I think it would be unusual for a colony to be very docile and be queenless. They either have a queen or they think they have a queen. Anything to forage on?
Detail isn't very good, but in picture number two, top left corner, looks like there is a queen, with her butt down in a cell, like she's laying an egg. Just to the left, and down, appears to be open larvae.Flower Planter,
Thanks for all the great information. This is the hive apprx. 3 weeks ago:
Acebird,
Lots to forage.
Thanks for responding.
Lots to forage.
Thanks for responding.
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