# Queen Size



## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Why are supposedly well mated and laying queens when purchased arrive ....small? I'm thinking if they are well mated and laying, why are they not arriving at the same size that they will eventually (hopefully) grow?


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## jrbbees (Apr 4, 2010)

Their internal organ shrink because they are not being used.
They will swell and enlarge when they start being used.
Think of your wife.


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

jrbbees said:


> They will swell and enlarge when they start being used.
> Think of your wife.


You mean like when she sits on her butt?


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## mudlake (Nov 26, 2007)

It is time for me to keep my mouth shut. Tony


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

mudlake said:


> It is time for me to keep my mouth shut. Tony


A life lesson well learned


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## dixiebooks (Jun 21, 2010)

LOL. Yeah, I resemble that sentiment. Learned the hard way. -js


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Lots of laughs on things posted and thoughts "thought" but not posted!

Seriously tho, these are queens that were supposedly just pulled from the hives where they were laying and shipped immediately. They are going to "shrink" that quick?


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

Snl it is quite normal. Check on the queens in a couple weeks after they start laying and they will be bigger than they look like when they are in the queen cage.


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

johng said:


> Snl it is quite normal. Check on the queens in a couple weeks after they start laying and they will be bigger than they look like when they are in the queen cage.


I "hear" you. But again why, when they are supposedly pulled from a laying colony and shipped immediately?


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

I caught and caged a thousand queens this summer. Big fatties, and all small the following morning.


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

ABC & XYZ of Bee Culture said:


> ...In the Fall after egg laying has stopped, all queens will usually look small and insignificant even though they are good ones. But if the queen looks small during the laying season when all fertile queens are laying, she should be removed.


FWIW snl, I've noticed a queen being smaller when she was a virgin, when she was about to swarm, and when she arrives in a queen cage. My conclusion is that the constant food and attention from the bees results in a swelling of her abdomen during the time the brood nest is in play. It seems that the bees have a major part to play in the condition of the queen.



Michael Palmer said:


> I caught and caged a thousand queens this summer. Big fatties, and all small the following morning.


I had no idea a change like that would happen that fast! Thanks for the insight


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

Michael Palmer said:


> I caught and caged a thousand queens this summer. Big fatties, and all small the following morning.


It's the experienced beeks sharing the little things (to them) with us newbees that makes this place a great website! 

The whole thread got me to searching for "why" (and also caused me to kill a bunch of time  ). From what I've been able to find so far it's a simple case of the queens ovaries shrinking when she's not allowed to lay. Apparently it's a very rapid change in response to not being able to lay. Amazing.

Ed

PS Thanks for sharing your experience, Michael.


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## cobutterfly (Jun 2, 2011)

I also have a couple of new queens that I bred myself from a very large Italian queen. The offspring are quite small. They are about a month old now and are laying "some" brood, but it is still not consistent on the frame - should I start over or just give them a little more time?

Thanks


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## AramF (Sep 23, 2010)

My best queens are not that large and the my worst queens were very large. You'd be better off paying attention to her performance, I think. The medium sized ones are the ones that seem to be very consistent with their performance.


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## Keefis (May 4, 2012)

When a queen bee is being shipped she isn't fed as much as in the hive either. Royal Jelly is very concentrated nutrition, so skipping one meal means missing out. plus they have no comb to lay in.
Just because they are mated does not mean her butt is full of fertilized eggs yet. It will happen though. Once the conditions are right she will produce.I split a month ago and my two new queens are laying now and are getting bigger every time i check on them.


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