Comment

Comment by Sam Barden 11 hours ago

Ok, I'll give her two more days. Thanks.

Comment by Rob Shepler 12 hours ago

They should release her by about day 5 or sooner, assuming that the cork that protects the queen candy was pulled off of the queen cage. Some breeders cork them, some don’t. Some give you a candy tube to insert after the cork is pulled.

 

By day 5 if she is not out you should be safe in direct releasing her into the hive, do it close to the hive or IN the hive if you can. Gloves are not helpful when dealing with queens, toss them aside and go for it!

 

I can tell you will be a good beekeeper Sam.

Comment by Sam Barden 13 hours ago

3rd full day after hiving the bees.  Just checked the status of the queen.  She is alive, but still in the cage.  I couldn't tell how far the bees are with the candy since I couldn't get them cleared from the hole.  When should I release her myself?  Also, what is the best way to get the bees on the outside of the cage cleared so that I can get a good close look?

Comment by Paul McCarty yesterday

I emphasize MIGHT...

Comment by Paul McCarty yesterday

OK, try #2 try for getting some queen rearing started up here in the mountains, since the last freeze wiped me out a few weeks back. I MIGHT have a few spare queens available here in a few weeks. Mostly Italian bred with the locals up here at 7000' in the Sacramentos.

Comment by Sam Barden yesterday

Posted the photos that Jane took of Linda and my bee install earlier this week.

https://sites.google.com/site/bardenbees/home/barden-bee-blog/15may...

Comment by James H DAWDY yesterday

Been dealing with swarming issues.  I now realize that my Beeweaver packages installed March 30, both swarmed.  I thought packages wouldn't swarm that quickly, but Rob Shepler mentioned it happening to his Beeweavers.  Mine were installed on drawn comb, so they built up fast and I didn't do any swarm management (hey, it's a package, right?). 

I think my feral cut out that made the nice big new queen also swarmed.  Checked today and saw multiple eggs but no young larvae and no queen, so I'm not sure if there's a baby queen, or if a worker started laying.  Sigh.  At least I got 2 new queens in the mail today.

Comment by Diana Calkins on Friday

Looked at hive #2 this morning and saw lots of coming and going, much more than there was after the split was made.  I guess the brood that was put in there has hatched successfully.  Waiting for the 29th to go inside to see if there is a laying queen.
Hive #1 is teeming with bees.  Robert looked at them yesterday and saw much uncapped honey.  Haven't harvested any yet as we want to be sure they have plenty for themselves.

Comment by Paul McCarty on Friday

By the way - if the bees bring insecticide back to your hives it will contaminate the honey, kill the bees, and totally ruin your woodenware. That's a criminal offense in most places.

Comment by Paul McCarty on Friday

I have been around my bees way too long for that. I might just sting 'em.

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