This queen cell was removed from hive #3 before re-queening the hive... 3/4" long and about 1/2" wide..
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Queen Cell
This queen cell was removed from hive #3 before re-queening the hive... 3/4" long and about 1/2" wide..
Hive #3 Re-Queened
After checking hive #3 a couple of weeks ago. Found out that the queen wasn't doing a very good job.
By looking at the brood patterns on each frame. She was having issues laying new eggs before the worker bees filled the brood cells with sugar syrup. So, they were working harder to store winter supplies then she was putting new eggs in the cells. She has to make new brood faster then they are dieing off or the hive dies as well.
So, today was time to re-queen. We found her and had to kill her to prevent issues with the new queen being introduced to the hive as the leading lady now.
I really hated having to killer but, that's what has to be done in order to re-queen a hive.
In nature the old queen would have been superseded by the new queen. So, she only had one of two options. #1 she could leave when the new queen hatched out or #2 be killed by the new queen and other worker bees because of the new queen having better pheromones telling the other bees in the hive that she is now the new boss. So, the out come would have been about the same for the older queen. That's just nature and beekeepers have to deal with it for the survival of the hive and the out come means the rest of the hive will make it through winter. This also means that there will be more honey for the beekeeper and the next generation of bees. I am always amazed about what I learn about my bees and the work that it takes to have good healthy bees and end result a lot of honey. Love my bees.
By looking at the brood patterns on each frame. She was having issues laying new eggs before the worker bees filled the brood cells with sugar syrup. So, they were working harder to store winter supplies then she was putting new eggs in the cells. She has to make new brood faster then they are dieing off or the hive dies as well.
So, today was time to re-queen. We found her and had to kill her to prevent issues with the new queen being introduced to the hive as the leading lady now.
I really hated having to killer but, that's what has to be done in order to re-queen a hive.
In nature the old queen would have been superseded by the new queen. So, she only had one of two options. #1 she could leave when the new queen hatched out or #2 be killed by the new queen and other worker bees because of the new queen having better pheromones telling the other bees in the hive that she is now the new boss. So, the out come would have been about the same for the older queen. That's just nature and beekeepers have to deal with it for the survival of the hive and the out come means the rest of the hive will make it through winter. This also means that there will be more honey for the beekeeper and the next generation of bees. I am always amazed about what I learn about my bees and the work that it takes to have good healthy bees and end result a lot of honey. Love my bees.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Hives Doing Great
After checking the hives out and getting a good report on their health. I added a new deep super to the #1 hive. They are coming a long well enough that I feel they well weather the winter this year. Will be their first.
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