On Sun, 23 Jul 1995, Ray Griffin wrote:
 
> Dear Allen,
> I just discovered the BEE-L log and there were some very interesting
> things going on there.  I'm also new to the internet and couldn't figure
> out how to post a question on the BEE-L so I'm writing to you
> via Email.
 
Okay.  I assume you were reading my pages on the web
<http://www.cuug.ab.ca:8001/~dicka> , There is a bit about subscribing
to bee-l.  Maybe I should have mentioned there that once you are
subscribed, you address any mail you want to go to the list to
[log in to unmask] ; it is then posted to the 500 or so subscribers.
 
Since your question is one that I am sure many encounter, I am going to
forward it to the list with my reply and I am sure some of the memebers will
welcome you by private email, and others may wish to add to my comments.
 
> I am a one-hive backyard city beekeeper and about 5 years
> ago during heavy rains (in "sunny" Southern California) my hive died.
> I just cleared out most of the wax moths and put the empty hive bodies
> on the roof and forgot about them.  Well, about 2 months ago a swarm
> decided to take up residency in my abandoned hives and I thought
> I would take up beekeeping again.  I got new hive bodies, but the queen
> was laying mostly drones.  About 4 weeks ago I noticed 2 different
> queen cells and I thought with all the drones around I would surely
> have a young fertile queen to begin a vigorous hive.  However,it has
> been over 2 weeks since the queen cells hatched (if that's the word
> for it) and I still haven't seen any eggs being layed and I am unable to
> find the queen.  Now there are no new larvae.  I have about 3 frames
> of stored honey and many workers are foraging and bringing in pollen
> to the hive, although many workers are now beginning to just eat the
> existing stored honey and not go foraging.  If I don't get a fertile queen
> in there all bees will be dead in a few more weeks.  I just ordered a
> queen from Walter Kelley in Kentucky and I have several questions.
 
Two weeks for new queens to get going after 'emerging' is not unusual
-especially if the weather is poor, but if it is much longer your chances
of having a good queen are poor.
 
> 1.  Is it possible that when the two queens emerged from their cells
> that they killed each other?
 
Yes.
 
> 2.  How about if one killed the other but didn't get back from the
> maiden flight?
 
It happens.
 
> 3.  Is it possible that the pupa in the queen cell was not a female
> because the old queen seemed to be infertile and was laying nothing
> but drones?
 
Yes, but then they would not emerge - I wouldn't think -  at least they
wouldn't emerge nornmally with a nice neat hole in the end. But I'm not
sure, having never paid attention to this - does anyone else know the
answer to this?
 
> 4.  When my new queen arrives from Kentucky, do I have to introduce
> her in any special way in order that the existing bees will accept her?
 
It is hard to introduce a queen to a drone layer. I'll let others try to
answer this.
 
> 5.  What is an Apistan Queen Tab?  Kelly's catalogue says all queens
> will be shipped with apistan strips and tabs.
 
Apistan is a pesticide that is faily specific to the varroa mites which
are now widespread in the USA and which destroy hives in fairly short
time unless treated.  The tab ensures that no varroa travel with the queen.
 
> Sorry to take up your time with my ramblings but I would like to know
> more about beekeeping.  Thanks for any help or suggestions.
> Cheers
> Ray
 
Hope you can figure how to subscribe and to send questions to the list.
If not write again.
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                        VE6CFK
Rural Route One   Swalwell   Alberta   Canada  T0M 1Y0
Email:   [log in to unmask]    or   [log in to unmask]
Futures, Art & Honey:http://www.cuug.ab.ca:8001/~dicka