Author Topic: What do I do now  (Read 2721 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
What do I do now
« on: May 08, 2017, 07:30:21 pm »
Ok so last Wednesday I did a split and introduced a caged queen. Went today to check on them and the queen was released. I noticed a small ball of bees on a frame. Sure enough they was trying to kill her. I was able to get her out and back in a cage but what do I do now. How long can she stay in the cage alone and should I try again. I no there's not another queen in the hive maybe they just didn't like her. I feel lucky to have caught it in time.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2017, 08:25:42 pm »
Ah Geez! that happened to me too this year. I pushed the bees away and saved my queen too, however they had already done too much damage and she died promptly.

However, I have a vid that this guy shows on how to keep trying... I didn't know that if the bees didn't like her that they would hold this firmly to her cage...

 
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2017, 08:36:14 pm »
That's good to know Jen, what happened in my case is they eat through the candy and released her . And you may be right my queen my be dead to she's not moving much. Should I try to put her back if she lives and try again? Sounds like I need to look for queen cells to. I did give them a frame of eggs , large and capped brood when I did the split.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2017, 05:23:58 pm »
Ok so my queen is alive and well ;D I went into the hive and found several queen cells and destroyed them. So I may have learned something from my experience. When doing a split and using a caged queen maybe it's a good idea if you don't put eggs or uncapped larva in with it? Does this sound correct? After destroying the queen cells I reintroduced her hopefully with better luck this time. Is there anything here I could be missing? Thanks in advance for your help.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #4 on: May 09, 2017, 05:49:09 pm »
YAAAY! Have you tried to install her yet today?
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #5 on: May 09, 2017, 05:58:11 pm »
I put her in a cage that i will have to release her myself. I think I am gonna leave her til maybe Sunday before I bother them again. What do you think Jen does sound about right to you?
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Offline Lburou

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2284
  • Thanked: 315 times
  • Location: DFW area, Texas, USA, growing zone 7a
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2017, 06:08:24 pm »
Green Bee, the bees can adjust a lot to our bad choices.  I put eggs and open larva in splits.  Sometimes, bees protect a queen by balling her.  They could have been protecting their queen from the big invader with a smoker and hive tool.  ;)
Lee_Burough
The following users thanked this post: Green bee

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2017, 06:10:26 pm »
I was going to suggest waiting one more day so the bees can realize that the queen cells no longer exist. Let the bees get a concerned that there is no queen potential available at all. Then, do exactly what you did today. However, I haven't had the best of luck installing queens this year, so I'm pondering as well. I do know that when I've found a queenless hive, that has been queenless for a few days, and I order a queen, it gets to me overnight... I install her for the four day period... it never fails that they want that queen.
There Is Peace In The Queendom
The following users thanked this post: Green bee

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2017, 06:29:22 pm »
Green Bee, the bees can adjust a lot to our bad choices.  I put eggs and open larva in splits.  Sometimes, bees protect a queen by balling her.  They could have been protecting their queen from the big invader with a smoker and hive tool.  ;)
haha you might be right ....this has been a good learning experience for me. I am just glad my queen is still alive. I read somewhere bees are reluctant to accept a queen if they have built cells. Is this right? The two queens I introduced earlier this year you could here a sudden change in the bees as soon as she was released. When I found this queen, the whole hive was really loud and seemed somewhat different from my other hives. That's the main reason I pulled her out and caged her again. My gut feeling is they would have killed her but I can't be sure.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2017, 06:37:28 pm »
I was going to suggest waiting one more day so the bees can realize that the queen cells no longer exist. Let the bees get a concerned that there is no queen potential available at all. Then, do exactly what you did today. However, I haven't had the best of luck installing queens this year, so I'm pondering as well. I do know that when I've found a queenless hive, that has been queenless for a few days, and I order a queen, it gets to me overnight... I install her for the four day period... it never fails that they want that queen.

    I thought about what your saying when I put her back, the weather here has been up and down the past day or so. And with the forecast as it is now I decided to go ahead and try again. I don't think there is anymore resources available for them to start more queen cells as it was last Wednesday when she was originally installed. And I could be wrong about that because I am not sure what is the oldest larva they could make a queen with. I guess I could have kept her out for a few hours anyway. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks Jen!!
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2017, 06:47:31 pm »
Sure Thing Gbee! I do like what Lee said too. Sometimes there just isn't an answer. I make a habit of only giving advice from my own experience. Crossing my fingers for you too  ;) 8)
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #11 on: May 10, 2017, 06:09:44 pm »
Well after asking around I asked Wally today what he thought . He told me if there wasn't anymore queen cells to release her today. So we just got back and it seems as though shes going to be good now. Bees seemed a little happier to. No balling going on. I'll go back in a week and check for eggs and larva. Wish me luck! ( well this far I've been pretty lucky)  ;D ;D ;D
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #12 on: May 10, 2017, 06:13:23 pm »
Green Bee, the bees can adjust a lot to our bad choices.  I put eggs and open larva in splits.  Sometimes, bees protect a queen by balling her.  They could have been protecting their queen from the big invader with a smoker and hive tool.  ;)
thought it was worth mentioning Wally said the same thing you said Lburou. I guess great minds think alike :D...thanks for your help it is much appreciated sir :)
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Offline Lburou

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2284
  • Thanked: 315 times
  • Location: DFW area, Texas, USA, growing zone 7a
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #13 on: May 10, 2017, 07:12:36 pm »
Quote from: Green bee
thought it was worth mentioning Wally said the same thing you said Lburou. I guess great minds think alike :D...thanks for your help it is much appreciated sir :)
Well Green Bee, a stopped clock is right twice a day.  ;)
Lee_Burough

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2017, 05:27:08 pm »
Well just an update. My new queen is happy and laying up a storm, lots of eggs. This has been my best learning experience with bees to date. I feel like I got lucky in a lot of ways to be successful this far with this split. Now I'll let them do there thing and check them in a few weeks. Thanks for all the helps guys I really appreciate it :yes:
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein
The following users thanked this post: Les

Offline Nugget Shooter

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 512
  • Thanked: 69 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Nugget Shooter
  • Location: Arizona's Sonoran Desert in Growing Zone 9b
Re: What do I do now
« Reply #15 on: May 17, 2017, 10:59:48 am »
Good news  :yes:
Cheers, Bill