Starting Pre Fall Inspections Hive #3

[Jen]

As much as I hang on Ef and Pete's advice, I think I'm going to leave her be. I'm not unhappy with this colony and queen is robust. a while back I posted pics of this hive and I remember Apis saying that the hive is sustaining quite well. If they make it thru the winter I can requeen then if she's not laying well.

Thanks Guys! You are all so patient letting me mush it all around in my brain for awhile. 

[efmesch]

Just think how lucky you are Jen, that I'm almost half way around the globe from you.  If I were much closer I'd be twisting your arm and stealing your old queen, replacing her myself with something I dug up in a feral hive.     

Enjoy your old lady and smile your way through the winter with her.  You're an independent thinker---good for you. 

[Jen]

Ef- "Enjoy your old lady and smile your way through the winter with her.  You're an independent thinker---good for you

      But she's barely 6 months old! She's laying well, just not a lot! I liken her colony as a small town on the side of the highway, functional but no to progressive. Time will tell with the dust blows the tumble weeds around ~ poetic 

[rodmaker]

Jen we are in a drought and the queen will slow down egg laying when no nectar coming in. Some queens just slow more than others. I only have three hives out of seventeen that are laying heavy the rest are just keeping a strong hive and not building. These hives all have great laying patterns they are just slowing due to the drought in my opinion.

[Jen]

Totally agree Rod, this queen hasn't ever ramped up tho. I'm okay with it. I have one out of four that is productive. Hubby says it's the tar weed that is flowing now. It's all over the place. It's an introduced plant up here on the border, I don't know if you have it down there. It's a pretty weed, but if you walk thru it, or your dogs run thru it, there is a pitchy stinky tar on your pants or paws, and hard to get off.

[riverbee]

"I agree with Iddee and riverbee.  this queen is producing enough winter bees to take the colony through to spring. And Iddee could be right on the swarmy bees the early swarming could have been somewhat started and caused by beekeepers actions. And not have been totally bee genetics."

"Jen we are in a drought and the queen will slow down egg laying when no nectar coming in. Some queens just slow more than others."

jen, what apis said about producing winter bees, and what rod said.  i hear ya, the queen has never ramped up.  this is why it's good to have more than one hive to compare and educate ourselves on queens and bees.   bees need both pollen and nectar.  if either is absent, some queens as rod pointed out, will 'slow'.  it's possible that this queen is of a genetic trait to be conservative. you said she was 'robust' 'laying well but not a lot'....it's possible that she is not the most prolific queen but maybe for dearth reasons, this is not a bad trait, given your dearth and as long as what apis said, "the queen is producing enough winter bees".....and she appears to be.  i would not replace her (for me this time of year), and would evaluate her next spring.

[Jen]

Riv- "this is why it's good to have more than one hive to compare and educate ourselves on queens and bees. 

    So funny you say this, cause this spring I had my one and only hive, and was working towards two, and only two. I now have four. These four have taught me a great deal. And more hives gives me more opportunity to continue pestering all of you forum members on a daily basis ~ Keeping you on your toes