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Author Topic: I cant seem to spot the Queen  (Read 3538 times)

Offline Bobbee

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I cant seem to spot the Queen
« on: July 14, 2020, 02:36:03 pm »
I started my two hives six weeks ago with two five frame nucs and was told they were free of varroa however I'm thinking its time to do a mite check. The problem is I can't find the queen.  The last thing I want is to shake the queen into the container so I have not done what I had planned on doing wich was a monthly sugar roll. I realize sugar rolls are not as accurate as an alcohol wash and was planning to do a wash if the numbers were questionable. I sure could use some advice on how to proceed. Do I treat? try again to spot her?

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Offline Robo

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2020, 03:01:35 pm »
You can use a sticky board.  No impact to the bees and arguably more accurate than a shake.   With only two hives this would be my choice.
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Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2020, 06:12:55 pm »
Hi BobBee, a sticky board is a white flat thin object placed usually under a screened bottom board.  These sticky boards are thin plastic sheets with adhesive that causes objects like varroa to stick.

Now you probably know this so excuse my description.  Mr. Robo is so experience the fella thinks beeks know the terminology.  Mr. Robo is a seasoned veteran beek, administrator he is.  Mr. BobBee, you may well understand, you certainly know the mites washes so again, excuse my explanation as I do not know your experience base.

Cheers
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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2020, 06:16:24 pm »


You eyes should immediately spot the queen in the pic.  If not, look away, then look again until your eyes easily spot the queen.  Hope this helps,

Van
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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2020, 06:22:10 pm »


Spot the queen.  This one is tough.

Cheers
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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline Robo

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2020, 07:19:48 pm »
Thanks van,   I forget that there is a lot of terminology for beeks to learn.    Good description on the sticky board and it is what is used by those doing the scientific studies.   Mite washes are prone to more error as you are just samplings a small part of the population and if you miss a mite or two on the small population you might get a false sense that things are OK.

Here is what I'm talking about.

https://www.mannlakeltd.com/replacement-sticky-board
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"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison


Offline The15thMember

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2020, 08:01:22 pm »
Looking at pictures like Van posted is a great way to get practice finding the queen.  You might try following #queenspotting on Instagram or other social media.  I did that even before I got my bees, and I think it really helped me train my eye to see her. 
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Offline amymcg

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #7 on: July 14, 2020, 08:17:33 pm »
R/queenspotting on reddit as well


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Offline .30WCF

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2020, 11:59:48 pm »
More spotting practice.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Offline CoolBees

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2020, 12:14:41 am »
Quote from: .30WCF on July 14, 2020, 11:59:48 pm
More spotting practice.


Ok ... that's cheating!!  :grin: :cheesy: :cheesy:

... I've got a Kimber that looks just like that.
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2020, 01:58:45 am »
Mr Van looking at your tough one, following the frame on the right side, where it meets the side of the picture, go left 3 or 4 bees and we will see her abdomen.  There is a freshly hatched nurse bee on top of her thorax.
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Oldbeavo

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2020, 07:12:52 am »
I know this may sound dumb but I use the theory of look for what is not a bee. It allows you to quick scan a frame and may be get lucky before having a serious look.
In an 8 frame box take out frame 2 and inspect,  then take out frame 7 and inspect. Now hopefully you have the queen trapped between two shafts of light on the center 4 frames.
As you take out a frame look at the face of the frame that is next before inspecting the frame you took out, and you may find the queen high tailing down the frame to get out of the light.
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Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2020, 10:39:22 am »
Quote from: Ben Framed on July 15, 2020, 01:58:45 am
Mr Van looking at your tough one, following the frame on the right side, where it meets the side of the picture, go left 3 or 4 bees and we will see her abdomen.  There is a freshly hatched nurse bee on top of her thorax.

Exactly,,,, Phil, the queen is hard to spot in my last photo as only the abdomen is shown.

.30wcf, the clarity of you pic is impressive!!  What camera did you use?

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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2020, 10:56:39 am »
Quote from: van from Arkansas on July 15, 2020, 10:39:22 am
Quote from: Ben Framed on July 15, 2020, 01:58:45 am
Mr Van looking at your tough one, following the frame on the right side, where it meets the side of the picture, go left 3 or 4 bees and we will see her abdomen.  There is a freshly hatched nurse bee on top of her thorax.

Exactly,,,, Phil, the queen is hard to spot in my last photo as only the abdomen is shown.

.30wcf, the clarity of you pic is impressive!!  What camera did you use?

Thank you Mr Van. I enjoyed this. As Oldbeavo explained, is the same as I do though I have not thought of it in his words. I look, do a quick scan for (something different). I have learned, occasionally a queen may be the exact same color as the workers, I think JP and Schawee call them tiger stripe queens. Those can be a little more difficult for me to quickly find. If I do not find the queen quickly, I began to focus more indepthly for a tiger queen. lol. Works pretty good for me.




                                                                                                                                                                                .
« Last Edit: July 15, 2020, 11:32:24 am by Ben Framed »
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2020, 11:35:22 am »
Let me add, when I find one of those "tigers", I make sure to mark her immediately. Sure makes it easier to find her the next time in case I may want too for a specific reason.
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline TheHoneyPump

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I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #15 on: July 15, 2020, 02:44:05 pm »
Agree with Ben. Even for the experienced eye, a young and quick Tiger queen is a tough find. Mark those ones soon as you see her. So as to reduce time and confusions in future inspections.
Usually by the time finished with the sesame street song on a frame face, she is found. If not, next frame and sing again.  ;)
PS: I often mention the song, not to be silly, but as a coaching of time management and a tool to keep things moving through the frames and the box.  Staring at a frame any longer than so has no benefit to you, the bees, or the open hive. Finish the song and promptly move on. 15-20 seconds per frame face and per box wall. 

https://youtu.be/rsRjQDrDnY8
« Last Edit: July 15, 2020, 02:57:25 pm by TheHoneyPump »
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When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Offline TheHoneyPump

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #16 on: July 15, 2020, 03:37:03 pm »
Find the queen practice / challenge.  The directory is set as OPEN.  Anyone can comment, you may even upload your own pictures there for all to practice on.

ENJOY!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Oor9fxh_oZ-bToYGMheP2RyJdSgoHANa?usp=sharing




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When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Offline .30WCF

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #17 on: July 15, 2020, 04:02:14 pm »
iPhone XS camera


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Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #18 on: July 15, 2020, 05:07:08 pm »
👍
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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: I cant seem to spot the Queen
« Reply #19 on: July 15, 2020, 10:35:50 pm »
I really love the pictures. Good stuff! Thank you for sharing.
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
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