# Queen question



## Kiran (Jan 27, 2014)

How many eggs are in each cell?
If only one: the queen _probably_ survived,
If many cells have more than one egg: _probably_ laying workers.


----------



## Willy (Feb 19, 2014)

Just one egg per cell, and almost a full frame of fresh laid eggs. How can she survive being stung?


----------



## Kiran (Jan 27, 2014)

> How can she survive being stung?


I don't know, perhaps her exoskeleton deflected the sting.
You can check the brood when it becomes capped, if the cappings protrude conspicuously from the surface you have a problem.
Short from catching them in the act, I don't know any faster way to be sure.


----------



## Willy (Feb 19, 2014)

I'll keep an eye on that


----------



## tsmullins (Feb 17, 2011)

Willy said:


> This happened April 26, today I went to check on the hive with 2011 queen to see if she actually died. Well, I couldn't find her, I had to do a quick look see because of cool weather, but I saw freshly laid eggs. This has me really confused. Is she dead and are workers laying or did she survive?


You probably would not have laying workers in just a few days. I would think she survived. 

Shane


----------



## Willy (Feb 19, 2014)

That would be awesome


----------



## gunter62 (Feb 13, 2011)

Eggs laid on the 26th would not have hatched yet.


----------



## Willy (Feb 19, 2014)

But they would be laying on the side and not standing up right?


----------



## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

First day eggs stand straight up. The second day they tilted 45 degrees. Third day they are laying down and then turn into a worm.


----------



## Willy (Feb 19, 2014)

Well I checked the hive last night. Queen is dead. I merged one of our nucs with that hive.


----------



## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Welcome again Willy!


----------



## Willy (Feb 19, 2014)

Thank you AmericasBeekeeper. Everyone else thank you for the quick responses too.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Queens often faint. Jay Smith's theory is it's from venom.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesqueenrearingsimplified.htm#c25

"The Question of Cataleptic Queens.
"In handling queens, many beekeepers have observed that once in a great while a queen suddenly becomes unconscious and sometimes dies. The reason assigned is that she took a cramp or had a cataleptic fit. 

"The author has observed this for the past twenty years. Some seasons it would occur but once; during others half a dozen times or more. In my mind there has always been some doubts whether or not the queen was cataleptic. One season, the loss was heavier than usual. One day two were lost. I say "lost" as the queens were always discarded after having a "fit," for previous experience had made me believe that they were permanently injured by having these "spells." 

"The day the two queens were lost, I observed how very similar was the action of the injured queen to the one that had been stung by another queen. There was a sudden collapse, then a slight quivering of the legs. In one case this lasted for over half an hour, when the queen slowly revived. In the other case, the queen quivered four about the same length of time and then died. It seemed certain to me that in some mysterious manner these queens were getting poison from a sting. Could it be that the poison on my fingers from worker-stings was causing the mischief? Investigation failed to substantiate this. I noticed that in one case the queen had taken hold of the top of her abdomen with a front foot, which might indicate that she had received a slight prick in the foot from her own sting. I therefore watched carefully and soon this belief was confirmed. The queen in taking hold of the tip of her abdomen exposed the sting. Then, in trying to get hold with the rest of her feet, she would strike right at the point of the sting. In this manner she undoubtedly received some of the poison. Since that time we have taken great care that a queen is not allowed to take hold of the tip of her abdomen, consequently no more queens have been afflicted with fainting spells."--Jay Smith, Queen Rearing Simplified


----------



## Willy (Feb 19, 2014)

Interesting.


----------



## Kiran (Jan 27, 2014)

Just curious, how did you merge them?


----------



## Willy (Feb 19, 2014)

I sprayed the hive with pro health and water mix. Took out 4 frames and put the nuc inside the hive. Next day I went back to check if they accepted the queen, and she was laying eggs like crazy. Success.


----------



## Beeonefarms (Nov 22, 2013)

oh wow... something else for me to worry about.. I better save up and just take Mr bush's retreat class workshop outside fun gathering.


----------



## Kiran (Jan 27, 2014)

Sorry if I am asking too many questions, but what about the four frames?
What was on them and what did you do with them?


----------

