Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: .30WCF on September 14, 2023, 01:49:32 am

Title: The Prodigal Queen
Post by: .30WCF on September 14, 2023, 01:49:32 am
So I pulled 10 gallons of honey tonight. Still got a little more to go tomorrow. Funny thing is, that middle hive. It had a QX on it and had was queenless , but making cells a few weeks ago. I pulled all the beloved above the QX tonight. Shook them out. Blew them with a leaf blower and took them inside. 
I got to a stopping point because I needed another bucket and it was already 8:30. There were still a fair amount of bees in the deep box on the table so I took it back out and blew it out again with the leaf blower. I pulled a frame to make more room for the blower and saw some brood. I checked a couple more frames and yep, eggs and larvae. No queen. I already spun 3 boxes of honey above the QX out. So I looked around where I used the blower and found a small circle of bees all facing the center. I put her back in the hive. I looked. There was nothing under the QX. I’ll check back in a week or so. She had a rough day.
There is no upper entrance and using migratory covers. I suspect when she came back from mating, she went upstairs before she plumped up. She still isn’t super fat.

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Title: Re: The Prodigal Queen
Post by: iddee on September 14, 2023, 04:36:49 am
Her laying pattern is also super scattered. I would think about buying a replacement if it is still that bad in a week.
Title: Re: The Prodigal Queen
Post by: .30WCF on September 14, 2023, 02:21:47 pm
I did notice that too. Some frames looked better, but not all. That one just had good larvae to show with the flashlight. I’ll check back in on her in a week or so.


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Title: Re: The Prodigal Queen
Post by: .30WCF on September 14, 2023, 08:01:41 pm
I got one batch of cappings on its last bath, and just starting the second batch.

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Title: Re: The Prodigal Queen
Post by: RAST on September 14, 2023, 08:32:09 pm
Getting late in the year for local queens, I'd give her a little longer.
Title: Re: The Prodigal Queen
Post by: Bakersdozen on September 15, 2023, 09:17:19 am
.30, What is a QX?
Title: Re: The Prodigal Queen
Post by: .30WCF on September 15, 2023, 09:18:19 am
Me just being lazy and not writing out Queen excluder.


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