Productive Day

[ablanton]

Had a very productive day at the bee yard today.  I must say, I feel quite proud of myself going into my third year.  Had two hives already preparing to swarm.  I spotted the capped cells, and then found the queen in each hive to pull her out into a nuc.  Also had a hive that has gone queenless.  I knew almost immediately by what I saw and heard after only checking a couple of frames in the top box.  I would have been clueless a year or two ago.  I pulled some eggs from another hive to give them something to work with.  Hopefully, I can save the hive.  The bee yard was full of drones, so they should be able to make a go of it.

This brings me to a question.  Why would a hive suddenly go queenless this time of year.  There was still open brood, so I would guess she kicked the bucket within the last week. 

[Jen]

Hi Ab- I've been at it three years as well    have been learning a lot.

My question is: how old might this queen have been?

[ablanton]

About two weeks shy of a year.  She was from a second swarm out of one of my other hives last year.  She built a very strong hive last summer.

[Jen]

  When was the last time you did an inspection of this hive?

[ablanton]

March 8.  My notes indicate that the queen looked small.  She may not have been the original.  She may have been a replacement that did not get properly mated because it was so early.  I did not mark the queen from the swarm, so it's difficult to know for sure.

[iddee]

Most likely, she was still there. Just quit laying and slimming down to swarm. Probably had queen cups with eggs or larva in them, but still too small for you to recognize as queen cells. Check again next weekend and see if you don't have capped queen cells.

[ablanton]

I don't know, Iddee.  I don't think she was there.  The population was dropping like a rock from my last inspection.  Very little open brood and not a whole lot of capped brood.  Plenty of room to lay in, so I wouldn't suspect swarm preparation.  The hive was also very loud and agitated.

[ablanton]

I will know for sure if the frames of eggs that I added today have queen cells next week.   Looks like the weather may not be cooperative for a check, though.

[iddee]

Anything is possible. She may have just played out and they disposed of her. She may have already swarmed. Saturday is forecast to be 66, with only a 20% chance of rain. That could be 70 and sunny, or snow by then, as bad as the forecasts have been lately. Hopefully, you're be able to get in them that day. It should tell you what is going on then.

[Jen]

Iddee- ""She may have already swarmed.""

This sounds very resonable to me.

[ablanton]

Well, as Iddee says, "anything is possible".  But when I inspected on March 8, I noted several hives as swarm candidates.  This was not one of them.

[Perry]

Curious. If you had a hive with queen cells already capped, why not move a frame with some cells on it to the queenless one? It would save them having to raise their own, and save at least a couple weeks of time in the process?

[ablanton]

Curious. If you had a hive with queen cells already capped, why not move a frame with some cells on it to the queenless one? It would save them having to raise their own, and save at least a couple weeks of time in the process?

Well, Perry, to be honest with you . . . I didn't even think of that! 

Of course, I'd probably have been afraid, anyway.  I had worked one hive earlier that was very healthy.  Then worked the queenless hive that was a little pissy.  Went back to the first hive a second time to get eggs.  I don't know about you guys, but my experience says knocking twice doesn't usually turn out well.  I can work a hive once and they are calm and gentle.  Go back to the same hive a little later and they aren't near as hospitable.  Anyway, now I have two pissy hives.  I didn't get stung, but they jumped all over my poor dog.  She had to spend the rest of the day in the truck.  I don't know how many times she actually got stung, but she was throwing up that evening.

[tbonekel]

Poor puppy!

[ablanton]

Yeah, I felt bad.  But, at the same time, it was kind of amusing too.  They jumped on her so bad, she was trying to dig a hole to hide in.     I had to run over and smoke her down pretty good, and then put her in the truck.

[kebee]

 My dogs learned petty quick to leave the bees along, I have one now running and trying to get a big bumble bee, I try to get her to stop, she sure will when she gets one for they really hurt bad, got stung on the back quite a few years back when when I mash one and did not know it was there.

Ken

[tbonekel]

My dog eats bees that come close to her. I guess stinging inside doesn't bother her or she's never been stung. As many as I've seen her eat, I would be amazed if she comes out sting free.

[Ziffa]

Ooohhh, poor puppy.  :(

But congrats on your day!  I had the same kind of Saturday and can really relate.  It feels so good to see all of the stuff you've read about here and feel like you know what you're seeing!  And then do the stuff you're supposed to do!  It feels GRAND! 

I don't know about you, but it's also a lot less stressful to think you have a queenless hive when you have 4 others going well and have the resources to rectify it.  I always get nervous going back a second time too and lose my concentration.  That's why I always try to work my weakest hives first so that when I go into the strong ones I have made  a note if I have to take anything from them.  It's easier going back into a weak hive, especially if you know you are helping them when you do.

Congrats Ablanton!  and here's to new nucs and more bees and lots more fun days in coming months!

love,
ziffa

[Jen]

Here is an interesting note: we have a veterinarian here in town that does bee venom therapy on his pet patients. The owners of the pets bring them in barely walking from arthritis, and leave walking upright with a wagging tale.