Cases when you need to somehow quickly find the queen in a large bee colony are not uncommon. This need arises when changing the queen, transplanting into layering, or identifying a chapter for marking. This will have to be done quickly and carefully so as not to disrupt the work of the bee colony. There are several ways to perform a high-speed, effective search. Some of them require outside help.
How to find out if there is a queen in the hive without opening the hive
The need to determine the queen arises if the queen cell is chewed.This indicates that the performance of the hive is impaired, and therefore requires immediate action.
To determine whether there is a uterus inside, it is better to pay attention to the signs of absence:
- the family loses interest in collecting pollen;
- the bees behave restlessly, buzz when approaching the hive, and move chaotically from edge to edge.
Most likely, the queen died during the flight, was eaten by birds, or died of old age.
Quickly find the queen in the hive
The queen bee is the foundation of every hive. Bees hover around her. When the queen reproduces, all members of the family are interested in collecting pollen. It looks like a well-oiled manufacturing process.
The uterus differs from its relatives in appearance:
- the size of the body reaches 2 centimeters, and the length of a large working individual is 1.5-1.7 centimeters;
- the body is elongated;
- the abdomen looks rounded and extends beyond the edges of the wings.
The first rule for determining the owner inside a hive house is the presence of brood.
The search is complicated by the fact that in the summer there are 50 thousand bees inside the colony, and they all move at the same time. The queen moves faster than the workers, so it is difficult to notice her.
- First way. Work begins at 12 noon - then many bees leave the hive. To search, the frames are inspected, sequentially moving from one to another. The checked frames are removed to the other side of the nest, but care is taken to ensure that the bees do not return to them again. This method is suitable for hives with 18-20 frames, but no more. When searching, you will have to rely on your own powers of observation.You can distinguish the uterus by external signs. In addition, the swarm around the queen behaves differently - the bees give way to her, surround her and, as it were, accompany her.
- Second way. To do this, you will need a special metal mesh with longitudinal holes of 4.5 millimeters. This frame is placed in the middle of the nest to drive the bees through it. The workers will move to the other side, but the queen and drones will remain. Such metal meshes are purchased in specialized beekeeping stores.
- Third way. In the evening before sunset, a white cloth is spread in a clearing not far from the hive. The bees are shaken off the frames onto the surface. Some bees will fly away, while others will move around on the surface. Bees always go in the same direction as the queen. If you observe its movements for 5-6 minutes, you can detect the main individual by its external signs.
It is difficult for a novice beekeeper to determine whether the removal was carried out correctly. An indirect sign by which the correctness of actions can be determined is the behavior of the family after the seizure. The bees behave restlessly, and there is a feeling that the insects feel orphaned.
How to catch her?
Identifying the queen is not enough - you need to have time to remove it from the swarm before it flies away. The most convenient way is to cover with a small cap. This option does not require any special skill. The secret of success lies in observation and quick reaction.
