Author Topic: Feeding virgin queens  (Read 6485 times)

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Offline iddee

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Feeding virgin queens
« on: June 23, 2015, 03:32:06 pm »
If you use cell protectors and let the queen emerge into them before installing in nucs or mating boxes, do the virgins feed themselves from sugar water or honey you put on the cage, or do you have to put attendants with them? Also, how long after emerging will they last before needing feed?
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Offline robo

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Re: Feeding virgin queens
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2015, 09:51:11 pm »
They feed themselves.   I put a drop of honey in the bottom of the roller cage before putting the cell in.  Don't know for certain how long they can live without food,  but my experience it is less than a day.

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Offline capt44

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Re: Feeding virgin queens
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2015, 08:35:38 pm »
When a virgin queen emerges from a cell there is nothing in that cell.
The larva has consumed every smidget of moisture and food.
I put hair roller cages over my queen cells when I place the cell bars in the incubator.
If that queen can find no water or food it will die in just a short time.
They will a lot of times be head first inside the queen cell looking for any kind of food.
On the cap of the hair roller cage there are several small pockets around the cap on the inside.
I put distilled water in two of the pockets and royal jelly in one pocket using syringes.
As soon as I see the queen has emerged I tear off the queen cell from the plastic cell cup and stuff it with queen candy.
The queen will go back to where the cell was and feed on the candy.
I keep the temperature at 93 degrees F and the humidity at a constant 72%
I have experimented and kept queen alive for 3 weeks doing this.
Take away the humidity and they won't make it.
The queen candy is made from honey from my hives and confectioners sugar.
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Offline Lburou

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Re: Feeding virgin queens
« Reply #3 on: June 26, 2015, 01:15:34 am »
Some swarm cells and supercedure cells still have royal jelly remaining after the queen hatches.  One of my goals is to produce queen cells with excess royal jelly. 

Until I can provide the quality and quantity of food to result in excess royal jelly, I put honey on the lid of the roller cage too.  I've also wondered about the contribution of nectar.   There is a candy cup available to fit on the roller cage as well, but honey is what they eat naturally.

Quote from:  Laidlaw & Page in "Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding", p31
...The food of virgin queens appears to be mostly honey until after the queen mates.  Virgins need lightness and strength for the mating flights and they derive strength from the honey


I think I've starved a few queens before figuring this out.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2015, 01:20:21 am by Lburou »
Lee_Burough

Offline capt44

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Re: Feeding virgin queens
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2015, 10:57:48 am »
I try to not put much royal jelly in lid of the hair roller cage.
I will keep distilled water in the cups.
I put the candy in the plastic cell where the queen cell was.
I've found that if the queen goes to the bottom of the hair roller cage she can get sticky real quick.
Which can result in her dying.
I've actually taken weak queens and give them royal jelly and water with syringes.
If they extend their tongue to the jelly and water they have a good chance of survival then.
Capt44

Offline Lburou

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Re: Feeding virgin queens
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2015, 11:00:11 am »
Capt44, some queens are lively at hatching and others are sluggish and pick up later.  Some never do get lively.  When do you cull a virgin queen?
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Offline capt44

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Re: Feeding virgin queens
« Reply #6 on: June 28, 2015, 08:56:36 am »
I give that queen two days.
If they aren't up to snuff I snuff them.
If they can't make it in two days then there is something drastically wrong with her health.
That's why I stay away from the hive when the cells are capped off.
I move them on day 4 of being capped.
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Offline Yankee11

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Re: Feeding virgin queens
« Reply #7 on: July 04, 2015, 01:16:59 pm »
I have watched queens hatch on a frame with multiple swarms cells. I have seen them come out of the cells and start sticking their head in the cells with nectar in them feeding themselves.

I have also seen them die right after emerging. I think that's because when they are in the hive on a frame. Right before hatching the bees will chew away the wax on the end of the queen cell, that way the queen only has to chew through her cocoon. In a roller cage she has to chew through the cocoon and the wax. I think sometimes they spend all their energy doing that. (only my opinion there :-))

Offline capt44

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Re: Feeding virgin queens
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2015, 11:37:04 pm »
I believe that happens too yankeeII
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Offline capt44

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Re: Feeding virgin queens
« Reply #9 on: December 06, 2015, 08:50:32 am »
Sometimes when I see the queen trying to chew her way out of the cell I will take a toothpick and open the end of the cell. I then make a tear in the side to get her out. Most of the time they will go down and get water and alittle royal jelly. That is when I remove the cell and place queen candy into the plastic cup where the cell was. She goes back to where the queen cell was and will feed on the queen candy.
Capt44

Offline neillsayers

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Re: Feeding virgin queens
« Reply #10 on: December 06, 2015, 10:52:07 pm »
Thanks guys,

Interesting thread
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