Another Near Queen Disaster
I did two splits two weeks ago from our one surviving hive. Although I couldn't find the queen, I examined each frame I pulled out very carefully and was sure she remained in the original hive. The first split, which I'll now call hive #2, I will try to have the bees make a queen. In the second split, hive #3, I planned to introduce a Minnesota hygenic queen.
I started today by checking on hive #2, looking for any sign of larva or eggs, hoping to find none. I found none, which meant the queen was still in hive #1. I found two frames with a lot of good looking eggs in the top box of #1 and put them in the other hive. I'll pull more frames out in a week. There were now plenty of drones in the hive, so there should be plenty to mate with the queen when she emerges.
Now, for the queen I ordered. I've been very happy with B and B Honey Farm and the queens I've gotten from them have been very productive. I originally was told they would be available last week but when I called to see if I could confirm dates, they said May 5th would be the first date they would send them out. I asked to be notified via email when they had shipped her and they said they would. Well, I came in for lunch after working with the bees and Kathy and I were just about to go back out again to work in the garden, etc., when the doorbell rang. Kathy said "I'll bet that's a queen.", though we had not received an email indicating she had been shipped. Sure enough, the postal delivery guy had placed the envelope containing the bees between the storm door and front door of the house. Since the house faces south, this space between the doors can get so hot on a sunny day I can't even touch the surface of the door. It surely must get 160 degrees or so in that space, enough to fry the queen in a very short time. If we had already gone out to the back to work, she'd have certainly died.
Kathy discussed with the mailman the importance of making sure the bees are delivered directly to us. It clearly says on the package that there are live queen bees enclosed, and our phone number with directions to call us are in big wording on the package as well. He admitted he had not even looked at it.
Anyway, she is now installed and hopefully soon we'll be queenright again in all 3 hives.
I started today by checking on hive #2, looking for any sign of larva or eggs, hoping to find none. I found none, which meant the queen was still in hive #1. I found two frames with a lot of good looking eggs in the top box of #1 and put them in the other hive. I'll pull more frames out in a week. There were now plenty of drones in the hive, so there should be plenty to mate with the queen when she emerges.
Now, for the queen I ordered. I've been very happy with B and B Honey Farm and the queens I've gotten from them have been very productive. I originally was told they would be available last week but when I called to see if I could confirm dates, they said May 5th would be the first date they would send them out. I asked to be notified via email when they had shipped her and they said they would. Well, I came in for lunch after working with the bees and Kathy and I were just about to go back out again to work in the garden, etc., when the doorbell rang. Kathy said "I'll bet that's a queen.", though we had not received an email indicating she had been shipped. Sure enough, the postal delivery guy had placed the envelope containing the bees between the storm door and front door of the house. Since the house faces south, this space between the doors can get so hot on a sunny day I can't even touch the surface of the door. It surely must get 160 degrees or so in that space, enough to fry the queen in a very short time. If we had already gone out to the back to work, she'd have certainly died.
Kathy discussed with the mailman the importance of making sure the bees are delivered directly to us. It clearly says on the package that there are live queen bees enclosed, and our phone number with directions to call us are in big wording on the package as well. He admitted he had not even looked at it.
Anyway, she is now installed and hopefully soon we'll be queenright again in all 3 hives.
We did a split a few weeks ago, and we were able to raise a Queen and saw that she mated. However, last week, she was MIA again so looks like she somehow perished. (sigh) Hopefully this week, another new Queen emerged. Crossing fingers. http://nycgardening.blogspot.com/2014/04/how-to-raise-your-own-queen.html
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