Fall queen sale - should I buy one or 2?

[Gypsi]

I have a trapout going, I have one hive getting REALLY big and considering splitting it, the other 2 seem to have queens, when it is less gloomy I will open and see how the queen's laying is going.

I am considering doing a split and buying a mated queen for the trapout. Any opinions?

[Jen]

This spring I bought 3 queens and one was killed. So go for the 2 for the price of one just in case ~

Gypsi, did you get my reply on your pm about sending you some propolis?

[Gypsi]

No I didn't get your reply. I have been on the phone all morning and ayaya... I would love some propolis. I have about a teaspoon in a jar in the fridge hoarded from 2012 I think

[Jen]

Well that would be my email issues. Go to your pm I'll chat with ya

[Gypsi]

I can't operate this darn thing, to be honest.   What do I need to order in fall from Dadant besides shb beetle blasters?  I can't remember

[riverbee]

my vote is to purchase 2 mated queens gypsi, one for your big hive that you are going to split, and one for the trapout if the queen doesn't wind up in there.  that's a question for the trap-out guys.

messing around with waiting for bees to make their own queens this time of year, is not an option i would choose. 

[Gypsi]

I wanted to peek in the hives before deciding but it was cloudy and gloomy all day, and if the front porch situation of the 2 deep 1 medium is any indicator, I'd better split or they will swarm...  Which at this time of year is a disaster.  2 queens it is, in the morning.  Thank you Riverbee

[riverbee]

hey your welcome gypsi, keep us posted!

i just think a mated queen this time of year is a better decision, but that's just me! 

[Gypsi]

As luck would have it my request to change my email address and to ship the keys on Thursday disappeared from their system, but that is luck I guess. I got lucky, when I got home at 6 pm my queens and all attendants were still alive. It was cooler at my house than where I was working...  Exhaustion has me, I gave the bees a wee drink and put them on top of my refrigerator and I am now going to find some dinner for me, there was no lunch.

[riverbee]

gypsy....you must be tired.....

"As luck would have it my request to change my email address and to ship the keys on Thursday disappeared from their system"

KEYS or QUEENS?!........   from the remainder of your post i gathered the queens were shipped to you......errrr KEYS......

well queens are kind of keys to our hives....
anyway, keep us posted on the re-keying......oops.....err.......requeening..... 

[Gypsi]

I slept 9.5 hours. I think I was tired. it is gloomy but not raining today, queens and all attendants lived through the night just fine. Now for breakfast.  (already fed dogs and backyard chickens and took my first customer call.)

[Jen]

Take a nap this weekend Gypsi 

[Gypsi]

If I nap I don't sleep well. Just 8 or 9 hours continuous is a wonderful thing, and rare early in the week, when I scrounge to get 6 hours.  Planning on 8 hour nights.

When the heat is on outdoors I have to be up at 6 in order to get any work done outside before it is too hot, and I rarely get to sleep before midnight. It is Finally starting to cool off, although we are missing most to all of the rain. My garden would be a dustbowl if I dug it, except for the small section I am watering.  sleep is better than digging this time..

[barry42001]

8 - 9 hours of sleep, OMG thats wasting half the day away , lol seriously if I get 4 - 5 hours I am very lucky. Perhaps explaining coffee usage :-*

[Gypsi]

costs more to get sick than to waste half the day.  I don't sleep more than 6 hours most time, but I work outdoors in 100 degree heat and it is physically debilitating to me.

meantime, still have 2 queens trying to get in hives. Trap out hive appears to have a queen. Property owner patting my butt is scaring the crap out of me. I told him I'd pick the bees up at dusk tonight, and the rack later. Hunting someone to ride along, don't think he is a rape risk unless it looks like something he can get away with...

there are issues with being female and working on other peoples property that are a nuisance.

[Jen]

Uh, Gypsi.... If it were me I'd be packin a small piece under the truck seat if I didn't know the owners, especially if your not in scream hearing distance. But that's just me...too much weird poo poo on the news these days.. or any days for that matter. You Be Careful!!

[Gypsi]

I have a piece but not a CHP, and I can carry a handgun openly in the truck but not in my bee bucket on someone else's property.  Landowner in for a surprise, thinks I'm only coming alone for the nuc, bringing a young male beek with me, we are pulling all equipment so I have no reason to go back. He hasn't paid me, but he did help set ladders up, an excellent position for butt patting I soon realized.
I just want my equipment out and the bees out alive, the young  beek is helping get them so he gets a free hive to build up, I'll give him some frames of brood and bees too.

[Jen]

Sounds like a solid plan Gypsi, glad you have some one to go with you 

[Gypsi]

I messaged 4 someones on Facebook, and then there is the actual Bee Club Face book page that I hadn't even tapped.  I network heavily, am safer than I was when I was married and MUCH better armed

[Jen]

Atta Girl!