Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Ben Framed on September 20, 2019, 05:41:58 pm
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I have raised several queens this season and made several splits As advised here by iddee and others I wait 30 days before opening a hive after introducing a queen cell. I have had very satisfactory results! I opened some recent splits about 3 weeks ago and had a very good percentage of new laying queens. Just a few days ago, and after giving them plenty of time to be settled in as to my understanding, I went back and marked these new queens as always. Never had a problem until this once. A beautiful new queen about the color of Mr Vans Thelma Lou was next to be marked. I caught her, marked her with the green and waited until the paint was dry. Then back into the hive she went. But Immediately her very own bees attacked her viciously! Balled her and was stinging her! She had three good frames of tight patterned capped brood and even still they attacked their on Queen! I immediately tried rescuing her, placed her in a queen cage, and placed her wedged between frames over night. I checked on her early the next morning. She seemed very weak. I pulled a frame of capped brood and release her there and the bees finished her off. Anyone here ever have a similar experience?
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It may be just the time of year. The bees are cranky, sensitive, easily upset by disturbances to their nest and promptly blamed queenys.
I find the fall is a difficult time, hard on the queens. At this time I try to minimize my intrusions and avoid handling the queens. I start at the edge frame. Soon as I see eggs standing on end I am done and close up. Not looking for queens at this time. Just evidence of her.
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It may be just the time of year. The bees are cranky, sensitive, easily upset by disturbances to their nest and promptly blamed queenys.
I find the fall is a difficult time, hard on the queens. At this time I try to minimize my intrusions and avoid handling the queens. I start at the edge frame. Soon as I see eggs standing on end I am done and close up. Not looking for queens at this time. Just evidence of her.
Thanks HP good advise, I felt the desire to mark my 2019 queens the fluorescent green and it cost me a nice queen this time. I will remember this lesson learned about fall marking in the future. I am trying to build up a base amount of hives and thus marking these base queens . In the future when I am well on my way, I will restrain from marking queens, except breeders of course.
Thanks HP,
Phillip
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Ben, during a dearth and approaching winter the bees behave differently. Just as HP texted. The paint may have mask the queens scent and therefore she was attacked. Sorry you lost your queen but sounds like you had a good year overall. I have killed many a queen by the simplest mistakes.
Also, if you marked the queen in a marking cage, the queen may have picked up other queens scent, therefore confusing the bees.
Brother Adam suggest 50% of introduced queens are killed and I believe those numbers.
Van
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Ben, during a dearth and approaching winter the bees behave differently. Just as HP texted. The paint may have mask the queens scent and therefore she was attacked. Sorry you lost your queen but sounds like you had a good year overall. I have killed many a queen by the simplest mistakes.
Also, if you marked the queen in a marking cage, the queen may have picked up other queens scent, therefore confusing the bees.
Brother Adam suggest 50% of introduced queens are killed and I believe those numbers.
Van
Thanks Mr Van, I did not use a marking cage as I gained the courage to do it by hand a month or so ago, thanks to Devan Rawn and his clear and well made video SHOWING and explaining how to properly handle queens. However, this question about the marking cage and scents does bring up a good question. I had marked a few before her, I am 99.9% sure that I did not hurt her but was wondering if it is possible that the other queens scents, did indeed transfer to her from my hands? I do believe that either paint or, and other queens scents, along with HP explanation, along with yours just about rounds it off?
Phillip