New Queen

ski · Post by **ski** » Sat May 26, 2007 11:25 am

I put the queen cage with the queen and attandants in the hive 48 hours ago and checked today and the candy almost had a tunnel all the way through. There was a cork in one end and a lot of candy in the other end but no cork. I attached a wire to the cage and lowered it to the bottom of the frames and layed it down horizontal. I made room by removing a frame.
When I saw the queen cage today it had bees all over it, of course when I lifted the cage the bees dropped off.

THe book says if they are biting or trying to sting the queen through the screen its not a good sign and let them set longer before releasing the queen.
How do you tell if they are biting or just attending to the bees in the cage its not easy to see?

I was afraid that there might be robbing going on so I went out before dawn this morning and closed the entrance. Went back about 9:30 and the other hive was very active but this one had no bees at the entrance. When I opened the entrance 30 or so bees wandered out and began taking off . So maybe no robbing for now.

Post by **Wally** » Sat May 26, 2007 12:28 pm

I don't know what book you are reading. My book says "Install queen and wait 7 days without disturbing. Then remove queen cage and look for eggs."

ski · Post by **ski** » Sat May 26, 2007 7:28 pm

Well I have referred back to 3 books and checked articles on the internet and they all say the same thing..... put the queen cage in and LEAVE THEM ALONE for 5-7 days.
I don't know where I got it in my head to check and see if they are biting or stinging the queen. I am positive I read it somewhere.
I will give them 5 days from today and check to see what has happened.

Wally if you didn't respond I may have checked in another 2 days.
What is that you have been saying PATIENCE PATIENCE.

Thanks,
Ski

ski · Post by **ski** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:36 pm

I did an inspection today and found small and mid sized larva in a good pattern in the brood box. I know the queen was in the cage 6 days ago but the tunnel in the candy was almost complete. So if she was released on the 27th that would be 5 days IF she started laying right away. That seems to make sense for larva to be present. I did not see any eggs but I rarely do. I may need to take a magnifying glass for the next inspection to spot those eggs.
The previous inspection reveled no larva at all just some capped brood.

So maybe the quick look at the queen 2 days after inserting the cage in the hive did not do any harm this time. Maybe I got lucky.

Post by **Wally** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 8:10 pm

It is seldom that a quick inspection causes problems. It is just that rare occasion that you want to fear.
Congrats on a successful Install. It sounds like you did well.