All About the Queen
Queen Basics One queen per colony? The secret of finding the queen Where are the bees giving you “the look” Find the circle around her Look for the wake behind her
Proper queen development She needs to be well fed from hatching! What makes a queen? Optimal ovary development 17 days of laying If caged before this time, ovaries stop developing, you get a skinny queen
The birds and the bees At 6 to 12 days old, mates with 12-20 drones Flies fast 50-150 ft up, far from home colony Workers massage, queen exercises to move sperm 5.7 million Never mates again 3-6 more days, begins to lay 1200-2000 per day Must mate within 3 wks
promiscuity is good (in bees)! Genetics from many drones means some bees in the hive have a better chance of staying healthy against disease invasion Multiple genetics means different strengths, i.e. gentleness, productivity, grooming, frugality with honey, etc. Lack of promiscuity may result in supercedure
why does the queen lay eggs in supercedure cells? reduced pheromone results in swarming, beginning with lots and lots of queen cups Even less pheromone results in supercedure, this is why the queen lays eggs to replace herself Inhibits ovary development in workers Queen substance has 28 constituents from head, feet, abdomen Virgin queens produce some, but not all Passed by scent and touch to all bees And back to queen
Queen cell vs queen cup Communicate clearly
swarm cells or supercedure cells
Supercedure or swarm?
Queen math Egg hatches on 3rd day Larval stage for 5 days Capped on day 9 Emerges in 7-8 more days Total of 15-17 days depending on location of cell, edge takes longer because it is cooler Leave a virgin alone for 2 weeks from emergence, 3 weeks from capping
Should you replace your queen? Aggressive bees Not for noise, weather, dearth, BO, garlic, bananas, genetics Disease: resistance, and brood break Mites building up Winter frugality
Judging the brood pattern Reasons for a Spotty brood pattern Inbreeding Disease Weather Young queen VSH, hygienic
The most perfect brood you will ever see
When to replace your queen When you have a bad one To discourage swarming Your gambling level Every year along with comb management for swarming Every other year, more comb management, but can judge genetics
Methods for queen replacement Use your own swarm cells Split colonies…eggs required! Buy a queen, fastest, but genetics? Raise your own in a nuc outside the mother hive
Questions to ask when introducing a new queen Are your bees aggressive? Do they want a new queen? How long have they been queenless?
Normal release vs. long release remove nurses from cage! hang cage in brood area Make sure screen is accessible Candy up or down? Add brood, think like a bee Long release is safest! Leave cork in 3 or more days before allowing access to candy plug Judge bees’ response to queen Tape over candy plug 6 days or more
Raise your own queen Introducing eggs Good pollen flow Good nectar flow Feed the bees Check every 3 days for cells
Drones in worker cells
Laying worker vs. drone laying queen Laying workers Multiple eggs in cells Eggs not in centers of cells Drones in worker cells 10% of workers will become laying workers Drone laying queen Only drones Single eggs in cells (but watch out, it could be a trick) Do the bees act like they have a queen?
Multiple eggs, eggs on larva, eggs not in centers of cells
Removing queen cells Are they swarm, or supercedure cells? Are the queen cells capped? Emergency cells? Did a swarm already go? Capped cells, but you see the queen Number of bees in colony?
Marking queens Risks Rewards Damage if paint misses If virgin, insures capture by bird Damage by beekeeper Rewards See the queen Know the age of the queen Know if supercedure has occurred
Clipped queens Wing is clipped Forcing supercedure, clip a leg Bees may see as damage and supercede Queen does not know she can’t fly, will swarm anyway Forcing supercedure, clip a leg
What to do with old queens Retired queens as breeders in nucs Gifting queens Killing queens, queen juice