HELP Do i have a queen ?

[JohnnyD]

Hello everyone....

I am new to Bee Keeping and fear i have lost my queen, if i post a link to some pics taken today, could anyone give me advice on what condition the brood is in please?

Thanks

JohnnyD

 

[beeboybee]

jonny if you able check for eggs..... i have spent months looking for a queen in one colony but never see her but plenty of eggs so all is good.!

please explain more about your situation then i bet will get lots of advise

 

[VEG]

Do you have eggs in the hive?

 

[freethorpe bees]

We'll try!

 

[JohnnyD]

Thanks for replying, I'm not sure if I have eggs or not, like i say i am very new, here is the link to the pics, these were taken about an hour ago. I had a queen, but I also had a swarm about 3 weeks ago, a bee inspector found about 9 new queen cells and left the strongest 3 intact, here is the link http://www.flickr.com/photos/62897391@N08/

The pics are good quality so can be zoomed in etc

Thanks a lot

JohnnyD

 

[VEG]

Cant zoom in quite enough but I cant see any capped brood in the pics. Why did the inspector leave 3?

 

[beeboybee]

i agree with Veg... also no ned for th queen excluder without a super on the hive if you do have a super i would be tempted to keep it off as the colony looks small.

when did you lose the swarm dont forget weather plays a big part in queen mating and resulting egg laying.

keep us updated

 

[JohnnyD]

I have two supers on ATM as when the Bee inspector came round he said the hive was very busy 3 weeks ago, it seems a lot quieter now, shall i take the supers off tonight? The swarm was 3 weeks ago, i just seem to have a lot of empty brown cells ATM, can anyone deduce anything else from the pics?

Thanks

JD

 

[Winker]

PH did a thread this week that might help

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8643

 

[JohnnyD]

Nice link, many thanks.....the problem is, i seem to be the only bee keeper in my village so don't have a source of test frames. ;(

JD

 

[JohnnyD]

If i have lost the queen, how long do i have to save the colony and what is the first thing to do ?

 

[VEG]

You need to use a test frame to find out if a queen is there. Contact your local association and plead. Once the test frame has been used you will then be in a better position on what to do.

 

[stilllearning]

alright johnny
on the second to last picture in the bottom right hand corner is a virgin queen,possibly mated or possibly not , shut the hive up and leave it for about two weeks , by then if she is mated there will be some eggs, hatched larvae or maybe some sealed brood, if you have, make sure they have enough food and a super on , only one as i very much doubt they will fill more than that up. if however there is no eggs she wont be any good and its then up to you what you do, unite it with another hive or you could mess around by obtaining another frame with eggs on from someone else and and trying to raise a queen that way or buy in a queen, but as i say its up to you.
good luck

 

[oliver90owner]

deleted

 

[VEG]

Well spotted it does look like a queen.

 

[Cazza]

Definately well spotted!!!
Cazza

 

[alynewbee]

alright johnny
on the second to last picture in the bottom right hand corner is a virgin queen,

As a novice queen spotter, does anyone have the technology to draw a big arrow pointing to her maj?

 

[kathrynat]

I am so impressed, brilliantly spotted. Can you come and find my queen for me please?

 

[VEG]

on the frame there are three worker bees on the bottom bar on the right look just above them and there she is.

 

[alynewbee]

on the frame there are three worker bees on the bottom bar on the right look just above them and there she is.

Woo hoo! Yep, I can see her. Fantastic - thanks.