Comments on: When It’s Time to Squish a Queen

By: Stephen Micheal Hopper

Stephen Micheal Hopper — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 03:48:21 +0000

Thanks for the great information. I look forward to the day where I can inspect my hive with a suit.

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 14:58:29 +0000

Thanks for this article. Gene Rene really provides some great hands-on information not readily available elsewhere.

By: Huss

Huss — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 05:34:07 +0000

Hi thanks for the article just thought I’ll add I’m a pesti and have preserved many insects especially termite queens best method is 70% metho 30% water or 80 20 way more cost efficient! My 15 year old funnel web, prawn & termite queens Still look the same as the day I placed them in just don’t shake them

By: larry

larry — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 02:16:51 +0000

When you mentioned the boarding of the bees on the one colony… was that a good thing or a bad thing to observe ?

By: Frances Moore

Frances Moore — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 09:10:29 +0000

Good video keep them coming thanks

By: Santo S Vinci Sr

Santo S Vinci Sr — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 17:54:10 +0000

Thanks I can appreciate your sharing of the info.
I caught two swarms from the same hive on Mothers day and one two weeks later. They look a slow progressing. They are friendly – saw the queen in one, thin.
Now looks like more drones around 7/20/17

By: Chappie

Chappie — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 21:25:32 +0000

Many time bees starve out and that is what this looks like. She may be laying eggs and they eat them as fast as they can. Feed, feed, feed, before killing a queen. Many times they will pick up.

By: Jerry K

Jerry K — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 06:17:04 +0000

What to look for in a failing queen? I’ve heard it called the shotgun pattern — the egg laying pattern where the queen misses the cells all over the frame and it looks like a “shotgun pattern”. A young queen may start out with a hit and miss pattern but will usually correct it and fill all the cells in her methodical laying. The older queen can succumb to the shotgun pattern — she’s worked hard in her life. A failing queen will have a low population of bees and a low output of pollen and honey. The worker bees will replace her but on occassion the process fails and the hive ends up with no queen. Sometimes a worker bee will assume the queen’s role and start laying eggs — but these eggs are not fertile and the result will be all drones. If that happens the beekeeper needs to step in and provide a queen or the hive will surely die.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 20:46:54 +0000

Great article, Gene. One question though, you state, “keep her in a bottle of rubbing alcohol. This makes a great swarm lure for spring time. I dip a Q-tip into the bottle and toss it into my bait hives during swarm season.” Am I to understand that the ‘scent’ of the ill-fated queen with disperse in the alcohol and once that evaporates, the scent remains on the Q-tip? As you can tell, I’m newer than new. 🙂
Thanks!

By: Joann

Joann — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 16:07:33 +0000

Thanx Gene for the great article and video. I am new to beekeeping and appreciate all the helpful tips and information. Keep up the good work.