# Bee Math-Queen



## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

Maybe you should leave "math" out of the title - see how it scares folks away? ( Maybe "Queen timing"... -( just kidding)

Anyway - yes, from what I've read, you are rapidly approaching what is considered the end of the line for that queen. Have you given the colony any new eggs? It might be time to give them ( and you) another option.


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## rsjohnson2u (Apr 23, 2012)

Or, "How soon should a queen lay?" 

I haven't given an additional frame of brood. I was waiting to see what happened, and guessed they wouldn't draw cells as she's still in there. I assume they'd supersede/emergency her after a certain point, however. Also, there is a need for more brood from a more bees standpoint. I'm sure there's enough in there that lack of bees to cover brood isn't retarding her, just concerned about the passed weather window. We're on our first week of main flow.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Why don't you put her in a nuc and give the main hive a mated queen?
This will allow her to take her time. The drones will not fly in bad weather either even
if she does. 
I think I got a virgin that I have never seen before in a nuc hive. Don't know when she
emerged or from where??? But she is there for good and might bee even mated too that I
checked today. She is their last hope since queen less for more than 1 month now.


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## rsjohnson2u (Apr 23, 2012)

Mated queens still a little hard to come by here north of Seattle. Some on Craigslist from hobbyists in Seattle doing small scale rearing. Last I heard from Lauri, she's a week away from her next round. That, and she's almost five hours round trip away. I like the idea of adding a queen, however. I'll wait until Sunday, then nuc her. Math says she'd be a ways past "lay-date" by then, but things tend to go a few days behind in our cool climate. I unsuccessfully let a different hive in April try to rear. It was too early for here, but everyone said to try as a "learning experience". This was only my second try at letting them rear their own. With only six hives, I usually buy queens, as I'm not good at waiting, especially if they poop out. Not having more resources makes each queenless hive a drag on the entire apiary if queenlessness drags on for weeks.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Basically, you are right. If she emerged on the 21st, she should be laying by tomorrow or I'd probably dispose of her and give them another frame of brood.


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## rsjohnson2u (Apr 23, 2012)

And.... she's laying. Thanks all


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## virginiawolf (Feb 18, 2011)

Now you have a new queen  Just when you think it didn't work it did Got any pictures of her?


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## rsjohnson2u (Apr 23, 2012)

Not tonight, soon I'll stick one on here. She's a Carni that is root beer colored. Third summer, first successful queen. Old hat for most of you, but still kind of cool the first time. Best part, there's a younger one in a five frame nuc as well, now waiting on her, but we've had better weather, and I now know there are enough drones around. Thanks again


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

Yay! I love a happy ending.:applause:


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

rsjohnson2u said:


> And.... she's laying. Thanks all


The question is "what is she laying?" Is she a little drony? Guess you will know in a week or two.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Ohh, I forgot that a queen pass her window of mating opportunity will become a drone
layer. I got one that she got killed by other worker bees. We'll see if she is a mated queen or not.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

My hunch is that she got out during that week of sunny, windy weather. Hello, sailor!

So, wait 2 weeks and look for a brood pattern - flat capped worker brood or bulging drone brood? And how solid is the pattern? If it is worker brood, but spotty, give her a bit more time - up to a month. Some queens take a while longer than others to get the brood pattern going good and solid, but they prove out to be excellent queens for 5 years. After a month or 2 of spotty brood, they will likely supercede her.


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## rsjohnson2u (Apr 23, 2012)

Update: Two weeks later. Added second brood chamber last night, she filled 6 plus frames, only avoiding the two outside honey frames, and most of two frames of pollen, although she did find cells to lay in among the pollen cells. She's small, but remember, an emergency queen, and our "first"


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## rsjohnson2u (Apr 23, 2012)




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## rsjohnson2u (Apr 23, 2012)

Sorry, duplicate


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## tanksbees (Jun 16, 2014)

Nice brood pattern!


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

tanksbees said:


> Nice brood pattern!


I'd say!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## biggraham610 (Jun 26, 2013)

Looks like a _*Keeper Jack!!*_
Great when a plan falls in place aint it. Looks like you are about to have a Population Explosion........ Good Luck. G :applause:


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

Way to go, Beetnik! Thanks for the update, it's good to see success.


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