A swarm today

[maddydog]

I've got exactly the same set up: 14*12 nuc with the feeder removed; close enough to the parameters recommended by Seeley.

Last year I got 3 from 3 using a national deep so it will be interesting to have the comparison. For me, swarming and baiting amongst the most fascinating aspects of beekeeping.

 

[Tom Bick]

Surely with this much interest they HAVE to come to me!

Its been crazy at my bait hive today. Fingers and toes crossed.

Depends what’s inside the hive. A newly positioned bait hive with an old frame with no stores can still create interest or a few days until the bees lick it clean. Have an old frame with a small amount of stores and ....... You don’t generally get 100’s of scout bees and their interest often looks like orientation flights with short visits inside the hive.

 

[Roola]

Depends what’s inside the hive. A newly positioned bait hive with an old frame with no stores can still create interest or a few days until the bees lick it clean. Have an old frame with a small amount of stores and ....... You don’t generally get 100’s of scout bees and their interest often looks like orientation flights with short visits inside the hive.

There are 3 frames in the hive, two with drawn comb, one with foundation... there are no traces of honey on any of them at all, these were cleaned dry by the bees last year. They were all back today, and to me didn't really exhibit robbing behavior, some seemed to be guarding the entrance, others just wandered around on the front of the hive, a fair few were arriving and going inside. I also checked the combs this evening and they don't look like they have been robbed as in chewed at, all as they were... Its fascinating to watch their antics! I only wish I knew what they were doing.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Yikes I just saw next week's forecast. 23 forecast in London on Weds.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Yikes I just saw next week's forecast. 23 forecast in London on Weds.

YEP, SKEPS READY and waiting

 

[Erichalfbee]

And it the heat goes on

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wea...m=Edi_FPM_New_2015_04_12&utm_campaign=DM11033

 

[Roola]

YEP, SKEPS READY and waiting

They are certainly in the mood. Had to AS one of mine today.

 

[Stickyfingers]

They are certainly in the mood. Had to AS one of mine today.

Had to do two today!

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Now I'm nervous. I've given it another week before inspection. A 24C week...

 

[Roola]

Now I'm nervous. I've given it another week before inspection. A 24C week...

I'd get in and check. Mine seem much further ahead than I thought they would be. Two of them had supers under and I'm regretting leaving it now as queeny has decided she wants to lay in those too so I'm currently on brood and a half on two of them. Will leave them to it for now and queen exclude next weekend.

 

[curry756]

Yup had to demaree 1 hive today too. Found 6 queen cells charged in one of my hives. All between 3&6 days old. Moved the best qc to start up a nuc and added 2 supers (need drawing out)

Fun times ahead.....

 

[beeno]

Yup had to demaree 1 hive today too. Found 6 queen cells charged in one of my hives. All between 3&6 days old. Moved the best qc to start up a nuc and added 2 supers (need drawing out)

Fun times ahead.....

I wonder which one that could have been

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yup had to demaree 1 hive today too. Found 6 queen cells charged in one of my hives. All between 3&6 days old. Moved the best qc to start up a nuc and added 2 supers (need drawing out)

Fun times ahead.....

bit late to start Demarree if there are QC's - demarree is a preemptive measure

 

[Stickyfingers]

bit late to start Demarree if there are QC's - demarree is a preemptive measure

It's not too late at that stage.

 

[curry756]

bit late to start Demarree if there are QC's - demarree is a preemptive measure

Sorry for hijacking this thread

Maybe my definition of "Charged Queen Cells" is slightly wrong. They were more what I call Queen Cups - but they had royal jelly in then with some 3mm larve. The cells hadn't been elongated to full length, but i guess that was the next phase.

its a bit complicated as i spotted the queen cups with eggs in last weekend, but I had no brood bodies with drawn out frames - they were all new foundation - so I added this BB last week with 1:1 syrup. They drew out a fair amount in a week, so I thought now was best time to Demaree as the queen at least has something to lay in. Left 2 frames down the bottom with mostly sealed brood, and moved 2 frames (the biggest QC) and shook 3 frames of bees to a 5 frame poly nuc. And knocked off all other QC's

It made sense to me (at the time) but may have been wrong. Will check and knock down any new QC's in top box next week and see how it goes.

Also had a bit of a mare marking the Queen too. I nearly drowned her in marking pen paint Hopefully she will be ok. - But thats the reason why i decided to keep one QC in a nuc. Might need her!

 

[Stickyfingers]

Sorry for hijacking this thread

Maybe my definition of "Charged Queen Cells" is slightly wrong. They were more what I call Queen Cups - but they had royal jelly in then with some 3mm larve. The cells hadn't been elongated to full length, but i guess that was the next phase.

its a bit complicated as i spotted the queen cups with eggs in last weekend, but I had no brood bodies with drawn out frames - they were all new foundation - so I added this BB last week with 1:1 syrup. They drew out a fair amount in a week, so I thought now was best time to Demaree as the queen at least has something to lay in. Left 2 frames down the bottom with mostly sealed brood, and moved 2 frames (the biggest QC) and shook 3 frames of bees to a 5 frame poly nuc. And knocked off all other QC's

It made sense to me (at the time) but may have been wrong. Will check and knock down any new QC's in top box next week and see how it goes.

Also had a bit of a mare marking the Queen too. I nearly drowned her in marking pen paint Hopefully she will be ok. - But thats the reason why i decided to keep one QC in a nuc. Might need her!

Charged is when there is food and larvae.
You could have done this last week with new foundation once you saw eggs in there.

 

[curry756]

Charged is when there is food and larvae.
You could have done this last week with new foundation once you saw eggs in there.

OK great - nice to know for next time - All my Spare BB are new frames and new foundation.

Cheers

 

[Roola]

Sorry for hijacking this thread

Maybe my definition of "Charged Queen Cells" is slightly wrong. They were more what I call Queen Cups - but they had royal jelly in then with some 3mm larve. The cells hadn't been elongated to full length, but i guess that was the next phase.

its a bit complicated as i spotted the queen cups with eggs in last weekend, but I had no brood bodies with drawn out frames - they were all new foundation - so I added this BB last week with 1:1 syrup. They drew out a fair amount in a week, so I thought now was best time to Demaree as the queen at least has something to lay in. Left 2 frames down the bottom with mostly sealed brood, and moved 2 frames (the biggest QC) and shook 3 frames of bees to a 5 frame poly nuc. And knocked off all other QC's

It made sense to me (at the time) but may have been wrong. Will check and knock down any new QC's in top box next week and see how it goes.

Also had a bit of a mare marking the Queen too. I nearly drowned her in marking pen paint Hopefully she will be ok. - But thats the reason why i decided to keep one QC in a nuc. Might need her!

I would define a charged queen cell as one with a larvae (hatched egg) in a pool of royal jelly.