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British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

  • What to do if a Virgin queen fails to mate or return?

  • Beginners forum, ask beekeeping related questions and get help from other experienced beekeepers. Please use the Search Feature please to avoid duplicated threads
Beginners forum, ask beekeeping related questions and get help from other experienced beekeepers. Please use the Search Feature please to avoid duplicated threads
 #10606  by Bobbysbees
 19 Apr 2021, 20:48
I made an optimistic early split. Saw the queen 2 days ago, by my count she was 3 to 4 days old + or - 1 day.
So my question is if I fail to find eggs or larvae with in the next fortnight,
what to do next ?
They are in a 8 frame converted poly and came out of a 10 over 10 national that I have swapped the bottom brood box round with the top brood box ready to start pulling out some of the older frames.
Im assuming from some of my reading that trying a fresh frame of eggs might not be worth it. And that reuniting would be the next move before starting over from scratch?
Any options or advice will be greatfully received :?:
 #10607  by AdamD
 20 Apr 2021, 08:44
You have a bit longer than 2 weeks for her to mate - however 4 weeks is pushing it and if she does mate at that time, then the chances of her being well-mated will be less. (I have had batches of queens that have not had the opportunity to mate and they then have to be replaced with new virgins). If she eventually turns drone layer, you will need to remove her before putting eggs/small larvae in, of course.

If she fails to return, or you suspect that by the behaviour of the bees or the lack of prepared brood space, then a test frame can be used.
 #10610  by Bobbysbees
 20 Apr 2021, 17:52
Thanks.
I take it if/when I need to offer a new egg/larvae frame it would be prudent to shake a frame or 2 of nurse bees in as well. or would that result in fighting within the nuc between the established older bees and the introduced nurse bees. As I suspect the pheromones' would be different ?
Sorry if come over as a little dense lol but having to rely on my own research and such means i cant always find straight answers on the subject I am having issues with.
I find this forum one of the best sources of relevant info I have come across online :)