# Green Dot Queen



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I came across a queen I got from Michael Palmer. It has a green dot on its' back. Is she three years old?


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## Greg Lowe (Feb 3, 2012)

It depends on whether or not it was marked according to the International color code. If it was, then it is a 2004 or 2009 queen. 2004 although possible seems highly doubtful 

It is possible that it was just marked with green because green was either easier to see or was on hand. I would say MP would be the one that could best answer.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Michael knows his tuff and I doubt he would mark her in such a way just to mark her.

My thinking was that she is an '09 queen. That was my recollection. I'm impressed she is still laying and laying well.

Thanks Greg.


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

She's a 2009 queen.


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## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

You want to sell her? lol


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

You want to buy her? lol


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

Take the gift you've been given, and raise some queens from her.


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## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

How much you want? Shes survived 3 years and out of Mr. Palmers stock. I'll graft some stock off her!


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Michael Palmer said:


> Take the gift you've been given, and raise some queens from her.


Not my specialty. Knowledge and eye sight lacking.

I don't know pine. I paid $25.00 for her, so seems like she is fully depreciated by now. Come get her and I'll give her to you. Or, send me a wooden queen cage, w/ candy plug and corks, and I will stock it w/ attendants and the queen and mail her to you.

Unless Michael has a patent or an objection.


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

sqkcrk said:


> Unless Michael has a patent or an objection.


Spread the wealth!


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## Broke-T (Jul 9, 2008)

If Dan doesn't want her I do.

Johnny


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Alllll right!! What am I bid. 25, 25, 25, do I hear 30? 30, 30, 30 come on, who will bid 30?

Sorry Broke-T, I already told pine he could have her. Just ironing out transferance.

I bet Michael would sell you an old queen, wouldn't you Michael? Or, maybe I will find another one in my outfit.


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

I have sent old queens to breeders who are trying to increase longevity in their stock. I'm open to suggestions.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Do you find very many older queens in your outfit? Is three years about average? Or what?

Also, if we keep having as much annual dieback as we have had, until this last winter, would we be just as well off w/ queens whose average lifespan is 2 years?

Do you, Michael Palmer, find that a 12 month old queen lays better than a 2 week old queen?


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## Broke-T (Jul 9, 2008)

As a cattle producer I like my herd sires to be out of old cows that have been around a while. Being great one year is not as important to me as being consistant over a long time. Genetics is a crap shoot, but if a cow is consistant over 6 or 8 years then you can start to have faith in her offspring.

A three year old queen must be doing something right if she is still around. Her production is OK or you would have requeened. Same for temperment. It also means she hasn't swarmed, which to me is a good sign.

Johnny


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

sqkcrk said:


> Do you find very many older queens in your outfit? Is three years about average? Or what?
> 
> Also, if we keep having as much annual dieback as we have had, until this last winter, would we be just as well off w/ queens whose average lifespan is 2 years?
> 
> Do you, Michael Palmer, find that a 12 month old queen lays better than a 2 week old queen?


Mark, I'm not sure of the average, because I don't go through every colony, find the queen, and keep track that way. I do find older queens that are still performing well. But, I also favor those colonies that I never have to requeen as the bees successfully supercede, they colony doesn't miss a beat, and production, wintering, and spring buildup os still good.

Whatever die off your operation suffers each year...and you seem to have plenty...why did the green dot not perish?

comparing a one year queen with a two week queen isn't fair. How about a one year queen and a two year queen. All queens are not alike. Some crap out in their first year, some in their second. I like those like your green dot that are still performing well in their third, and look for them to graft from...other production criteria being good, too.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Green dot was lucky enough not to starve this year. That's one thing. Unfortunately the queens I got from Robert Russell were alive in SC and starved in NY. Bad beekeeping, not the queens fault.

I guess my question came from the fact that I buy queens to make splits with which are quite young. I doubt that they are laying for very long at all before they are caged and sent off in the mail. How could the queen rearer let them lay very long. They need to get queens thru their mating nucs to make money on them. They don't make money letting queens fill up the mating nucs w/ eggs.

A two month old queen would have a track record to go by. Wouldn't it? I don't know if I would want to pay the difference and I wonder if older queens are less acceptable to a queenless nuc or not.


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## Broke-T (Jul 9, 2008)

I leave my queens in the mating nucs for three weeks. I use 3 full size medium frames as a mating nuc. By this time she has every cell laid full and big patches of capped brood. I have checked at 14 days and some have eggs but many haven't started to lay yet.

This really cuts down on the number of queens I can produce per year but I feel the customer is getting a lot better product. Time will tell if they are worth the extra cost.

Johnny


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

That is a simple and really good system. Better queens for the customer and better mating nucs for you. I fear too many are caging at 2 weeks. :thumbsup:


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## winevines (Apr 7, 2007)

Michael Palmer said:


> I have sent old queens to breeders who are trying to increase longevity in their stock. I'm open to suggestions.


I too was blessed with such a gift. A 2009 queen from VP Queen Bees. The only colonies I never had to treat for varroa. In fact, the ONLY queen I did not lose to swarming or supercedure this season (crazy season!). I had to travel in May for an extended period of time for my job so I gave the entire nuc "tower" (all three four frame boxes) to my friends who I knew would recognize the prize. They grafted from her at least once. I am getting some cells this week as are some other folks. That is a great way to spread the wealth and a great part of local queen rearing as a group effort!


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