Warning for beekeepers

[jimmy]

Please don't do the stupid mistake I made yesterday. I traveled several hundred miles to get new queens to make splits with my own hives.Had the queen cages in a cardboard box, my first though was to bring into house but then it may get too cool w/ A/C . I have a screened in porch so I'll just set them on the table until I get up.Well when I got up this morning Ant's were after the candy in the process they killed my queens and  attentants and all .I am so upset with my self for making such a judgement call. It's not the money or time involved .I lost 6 well looking queens with a little mistake like this ,I am so mad at myself .   

[Natalie]

Jimmy, I am so sorry that happened, I know how frustrated and disappointed you must be right now.
Don't beat yourself up though, your thought process was good and keeping them out of the ac makes sense.
I honestly would not have thought of the ants and the candy myself.
You were trying to do the right thing.

[Cindi]

Oh Jimmy, that is just horrible.  As Natalie said, don't beat yourself up though.  I think that this would be a very valuable lesson that you have imparted to all your forum friends.  Who would have ever thunk that this might happen?  I know that I surely would not have.  I have learned a lesson from you that I probably would have learned the hard way myself.  Take care.  There will be more queens, it is just an expensive lesson to learn.  That was a very long drive to get these gals, sorry to hear of the loss.  Have a wonderful day, great health.  Cindi

[JP]

Jimmy, sorry again about the mishap. I will be in touch very soon.


...JP

[jimmy]

Thanks everyone for the kind words.While I am not over the hurt feeling for the girls ,I am in the beginning stages of acceptance . In the 3 years I have been studying and playing with bees this has been devastating . 5 years ago if you would have told me I would be disheartened over something like this ,I would have said you are CRAZY. Now I know. jimmy

[sarafina]

I just received my new queen today and have her in the utility room.  Will be installing her tomorrow.

Should I put her in the garage?  It is over 90 out there.  I could put in in a bowl set in another bowl of water to keep the ants out.

[jimmy]

Thats seems like a good idea. Wish I had been that inteliegent.

[sarafina]

Well, I would never have thought about it if you hadn't been kind enough to post your experience so it wouldn't happen to someone else!

I have never re-queened and have my new queen sitting on my utility room shelf and saw your thread - talk about good timing.

[Scadsobees]

The advice I've heard is to keep the queen in a dark cool closet, brushing on water a couple times a day.  They can keep warm enough at room temps.  Hopefully your a/c isn't colder than 70 


Rick

[sarafina]

Ok, I brought her back in from the garage then.  Colder than 70???  I would have to go get a loan to pay my electric bill 

[Brian D. Bray]

When I buy queens I store them on the shelf in my bedroom closet.  They're close a hand and I remember to give them water if the weather won't let me install them right away.  Never have had ants problems with putting them there.

[Dvash]

How long can you store a queen indoors? How long can you store a queen cell and what conditions do you need for storing the queens and queen cells.?

Thanks,

[beee farmer]

I hate that for ya.. I did somting almost as bad.  Got in after 11:00 PM from driving to pick up fresh queens.  We were having our first cold snap but I didnt want to turn on the heat in the house yet so I opted for keeping them overnite on the top shelf of the computer desk as the puter puts out just about the right amout of heat. So I lay down a nice hand towel and spread them out for the nite.  The next AM I was in my chair putting on my boots and I hear the cat running around playing with somthing, picing it up and dropping it on the hardwood floor batting it arroundand chasing it.... ...luckly those new style queen cages are tough.... after a frantic search oll were found and in good health. Whew!  next time I will make sure the office door is closed and latched!

[Michael Bush]

At room temps with a drop of water a day you can keep them for a week or two.  If the attendants start dying it's time to replace the attendants.  If you replace the attendants every couple of weeks and give them water and they have candy, you can keep them indefinitely.  Provided, of course, you keep them away from the ants...

[asprince]

Bummer!! That is worse than opening up the cage and seeing your new queen fly away never to return.

Thanks for sharing, I feel your pain.

Steve