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Subject: Orange County, NC Beekeepers

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  • From: Alicia Reenders <a.reenders AT gmail.com>
  • To: Chris and Lisa Laudeman <chrisandlisa AT laudeman.com>
  • Cc: ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] no queen after installing package
  • Date: Sat, 24 Apr 2010 19:12:28 -0400

Hello again. I've looked at my frames again, this is day 14, and day 13 after releasing the queen. I still have lots of cells with multiple eggs(3-4), and even eggs laid in the cells that have pollen in them! I don't have anything capped, so still not 100% sure they are all drone cells. But I'm still worried. There's not that much comb drawn out, maybe 1/2 of a frame on 4-5 frames.

And I haven't been able to spot the queen. I looked for a good while today, no signs. I did see some bees with their rear ends in the cells, and they were workers. This makes me suspicious as well.

I feel like I should just get a new queen. I'm afraid if I wait till I see cappings, and the workers are laying, they will take up all the space and leave nothing for a new queen to lay in.

If anyone in the area happened to be bored and didn't mind checking out the hive, I'm free Sunday, Monday, and Wed evening. I don't know if it's a bad idea to open it up again 2 days in a row...Address is 1917 Watson Rd, 27704

Thanks everyone for your help! I'll keep you updated.
-Alicia

On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 11:06 PM, Chris and Lisa Laudeman <chrisandlisa AT laudeman.com> wrote:
Alicia,

We live in N. Durham and could maybe get by to take a look with you. .
.after a few days.

Chris

On 4/19/10, Alicia Reenders <a.reenders AT gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks, my bees are on the east side of Durham. I wondered if it was a bit
> early for laying workers. I think bees are going to teach me to be patient!
>
> I'm ok with waiting it out a week, giving them some time. But if anyone does
> happen to live nearby, I'd be glad for someone to take a look. Maybe we'll
> see in a week if there's no urgency.
>
> Thanks for your help! I'll let you know what happens.
>
> -Lish
>
> On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 8:15 PM, Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>  Alicia,
>>
>> "Usually" it takes a fairly long time to get laying workers --- several
>> weeks of queenlessness (and broodlessness) at a minimum, probably longer;
>> it
>> varies. It would seem very strange for you to have them so fast. More
>> likely, you may have a young queen who isn't good at her job yet. Don't be
>> too hasty. If it was my hive, I'd leave them ALONE for another week and
>> then
>> check it out thoroughly to see how things are going.
>>
>> Just saw where Lewis sent the same answer, so you've got 2 for 2....
>>
>> Let us know how it turns out.
>>
>> Randall
>>
>>
>> Alicia Reenders wrote:
>>
>> Hello there beekeepers!
>>
>> Thanks for being patient with us "newbees" ha ha. But I do have another
>> question. I installed my package last weekend and the bees seemed great.
>> But
>> I think I was too impatient and released my queen after 2 days, thinking I
>> needed to do that. I think the colony rejected her, because I haven't seen
>> her again. I saw eggs for the first time today, day 7 after releasing her
>> into the hive. But almost all the cells have multiple eggs, like 3-4. A
>> few
>> have 1 or 2, but most have more. The bees are collecting pollen and
>> drawing
>> out comb on some of the frames.
>>
>> So do the multiple eggs mean that I have laying workers? Should I get a
>> new
>> queen as soon as possible? Could I just have a bad laying queen?
>>
>> Any suggestions would be helpful, thanks! This is such a great resource,
>> and I hope it isn't a bother cluttering up the listserve with beginner
>> questions.
>>
>> -Alicia
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
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>> North Carolina Beekeepinghttp://www.theocba.org/
>>
>>
>>
>




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