A bit of advice re queen cups please.

[Matt77]

Afternoon everyone, I have a colony which I purchased as 6 frame nuc back at the end of May, 23rd to be precise. It's now just had its second super added.

During my last inspection I found 3 or 4 queen cups with just eggs in them, no royal jelly. So I left them as they were, after doing a bit of research I notice many people suggest checking 4 days later which is today. I'm more than happy to check them today & to my little mind it makes a lot sense, but I also have the SBI coming on fri so was unsure wether to leave it until then to avoid disturbing them too much but I guess potenially that could be day 8 or 9. What would you do? Can you inspect too much?

 

[itma]

You can inspect too much.
But if you definitely saw eggs in play cups, then, if you can, get in there more often, like twice a week.

No bad thing to have a good look before the Inspector does. It looks better if you have a good idea of the state of your colonies!

 

[Matt77]

Thanks itma, I'll have look tonight then & see if they are making plans. I feel like a school kid having my homework checked knowing the SBI is coming! We have AFB close by so I'm finding it a bit of a (more!) nervous time.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It's been a "bees keeping me on my toes" year and I have had to look into some of my colonies twice weekly.
I would have a look.

 

[REDWOOD]

And me

 

[Matt77]

These are probably daft questions, but I'll ask anyway. Assuming they have'nt filled said queen cups with royal jelly in the last 4 days & I still see eggs in the cups, I assume I keep doing twice weekly inspections until I stop seeing eggs in cups then go back to weekly?

If they have filled the cups with royal jelly, AS tonight? Any reason I shouldn't perform an AS in the evening?

 

[REDWOOD]

If the queen is there and no royal jelly in the play cups then remove them and continue with your 7 day inspections

 

[Matt77]

A little update to my previous posts. Checked them earlier & there were 10 charged queen cells so I have AS'd them. Thanks all for your advice.

First AS so I was forced to open a beer!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Good job.
Don't forget to look in the parent hive (the one with the brood and the queen cells) in 6 days to destroy any other queen cells the bees make .....and they will.
Look in your AS in two days to make absolutely sure you left no queen cells with the queen.
I looked into one I did and there were two

 

[Matt77]

Will do

 

[dn170221]

Well done doping your first AS I know some long time beekeepers who have yet to do one!

 

[Matt77]

Ha ha! Thanks!

Just hope I did it right, it feels like a real violation of the colony. I know its pretty much the state they'd end up in anyway if I hadn't done it. Will they have time to get built back up in time for the winter this time of year?

 

[itma]

A little update to my previous posts. Checked them earlier & there were 10 charged queen cells so I have AS'd them. Thanks all for your advice.

First AS so I was forced to open a beer!

Good job.
Don't forget to look in the parent hive (the one with the brood and the queen cells) in 6 days to destroy any other queen cells the bees make .....and they will.
Look in your AS in two days to make absolutely sure you left no queen cells with the queen.
I looked into one I did and there were two

Yes, dividing the colony is far from the end of the A/S task.

Hopefully, you have reduced to just ONE selected OPEN but well-developed QC, and marked the frame it is on.
Really, you need to shake ALL the other frames clear-enough of bees so that you can ensure that you haven't missed any QCs. (Brush the bees gently off the marked frame, DON'T shake it, because you need to check there aren't other hidden cells as well.)
Be thorough, even one extra cell that you miss (in either box) WILL allow a swarm to happen!

 

[Matt77]

Yes itma, I left the largest, best developed cell I could find & marked the frame. I spent a good half hour+ going over the frames, firstly to choose the cell & then to make sure I'd got the rest of the cells. But I will do as you say when I check again in 5 or 6 days.

I really appriciate the advice everyone, its makes it all a little less stressful!

 

[itma]

... Will they have time to get built back up in time for the winter this time of year?

Plenty time for that.

Pagden's refinement of moving the 'brood' hive from one side to the other (of the stationary Q+flyers) is intended to bleed the maximum number of flying bees away from the brood - which serves two purposes. It weakens the 'brood' so there is far less chance of them losing any cast swarms (but do still check for any extra QCs). But also it maximises the foraging force...

 

[itma]

Yes itma, I left the largest, best developed cell I could find & marked the frame. I spent a good half hour+ going over the frames, firstly to choose the cell & then to make sure I'd got the rest of the cells. But I will do as you say when I check again in 5 or 6 days.

Sounds good - don't forget Erica's reminder about checking Q's frame as well (just as soon as that lot are settled on their new frames - don't wait 5 days!)

 

[Matt77]

I also have that in mind to do itma, I have the SBI coming tomorrow so that'll give me chance to double check.

I have no idea how you lot with 10's of hives manage, it must be a full time job!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I check again in 5 or 6 days.

I went in to one this morning and there were 20 QCs, some swarm and some emergency.