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I introduced a virgin Q to an Apidea five days ago. Today, the second day of perfect mating weather (day 5), I noticed much frantic activity around the entrance and especially the ventilation grid. On inspection I found a Q on the outside of the grid tightly surrounded by some workers. She looked to be dying (only her antennae were moving). Has anyone a possible explanation?
I might be wrong but I think that the ventilation mesh should be covered by the sliding door once the apidea has been set out and opened (door slides upward to cover it). I think the vent should only be visible when the apidea is closed up.
Is this the case? I had kept the entrance reduced to make it easier for workers to guard against potential robbing. There were two apideas separated by about 5m. Yesterday I heard the Q in other one "chirping", so it was not a case of a lost Q being "balled".Quote:
Originally Posted by tonel
I cover the roofs of all of my mating nucs from the sun...A rectangle of wood, suspended on the roof by a flat bar so leaving an air gap heat does not seep from cover into hive roof.
Held on by bungee cords..
Can place mating nucs anywhere in the sun as a result.
The chances of robbing are not high at this time of year so I would not be worried about it. 5 metres is a good distance; I don't have too many issues with queens returning to a congested apiary where nucs and full-sized hives are much closer together or where two nucs are side by side - as long as the entrances are facing a different way. If a queen is on the mesh, I think I would expect her to find her way in after a while.
I can find that mini-nucs will occasionally abscond even when in the shade. However I often put a roof tile on top which acts as a weight as well as give some shading. And as soon as I know the queen has mated by the presence of eggs, I ensure that some queen excluder is across the entrance to keep her at home - I use the swi-bine mini-nucs and the sliding down of the front piece holds excluder in place and provides for ventilation.
The apideas were in dappled shade and cool. I have no clue as to why the Q died - but she had not been there a couple of hours earlier. She did not seem damaged physically and there was no drone mating sign attached to her.
She probably couldn't fly for some reason
DR - yes - she might have been damaged during transfer to the Apidea. I had her in the incubator for about 24 hours after hatching. Put her into the Apidea and emptied 300ml water-sprayed nurse bees on top of her. Left the Apidea until the next evening then opened the entrance. I do not usually put a Q cell into the Apidea - in case there is no hatch. And I prefer to see that the Q is a good size and colour. I suppose risks occur at all stages in the process.
I always slide the door to the top covering the mesh when I open my apideas.
They are designed to help a small number of bees conserve heat so best not leave any vents open.
Jon - thanks.