advice needed on re-queening after a swarm + problems with a nuke

[Bandini]

Dear Beekeepers,

yet again i need some advice (i hope i'm not exceeding my quota!)

After inspection yesterday I found a few problems that I'm a bit stumped with. My mentor is on holiday, so i turn to you generous folk for advice...

I have 2 colonies with problems: (both in Nationals)

The first is a a swarmed colony, see :

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=12307

Yesterday I was relieved to find brood after a few weeks of waiting with no sign of a laying queen. Obviouly a queen has successfully mated and is now laying. However i also found (and destroyed) 5 queen cells! Could this colony still have the swarming instinct? Some QCs were in the centre, but at least 3 were at the bottom of the frames toward the edge. Do I just keep vigilant and destroy new QCs? Or, as I couldn't find the queen (and it must be very late for swarming), should i be concerned that something has happened to her?


The other trouble I have is with a Nuke on five frames, now in a brood box. One frame of brood I introduced from my other strong colony last week and I have been feeding them up using a small contact feeder which they keep emptying. Yesterday I found 3 Q cells in this colony, 2 sealed and 1 unsealed!
I looked and looked but couldn't spot the Queen (might just be lack of experience) so i destroyed the sealed QCs and left the unsealed until i sort some advice.


In addition, while inspecting the overhang on one side of one of the frames snapped off! (this is an old frame given to me by my mentor) It's full of brood and unfortunately it broke in my hand and I dropped it. It now sits tilted in the brood chamber with the bottom at one end touching the floor. Clearly it needs replacing but, as i said, it's full of brood and in a relatively weak nuke.

Anyone know a method of running repair for this kind of problem.

Thank you for taking the time to read this long post, any advice on the above would be greatly appreciated.

 

[oliver90owner]

If anything, another side bar (your one bee space thickness) jammed in to keep the frame square. I have never bothered - just work it to the edge of the broodnest and remove when appropriate.

The queen cells could be because she is laying mostly drone brood?

 

[iombeeman]

the frame can have a nail banged in place of the lug,this a stopgap until you move frame to end of box,and then remove when empty of brood.
i take you put frame in nuc because the nuc was queen less,are you sure(how long have they been without brood?.if they were queenless and they have raised 3 queen cells,you removed 2 and 1 has hatched.i would think the nuc was queen right just give her time to start laying,keep feeding and leave alone for a while.

 

[Bandini]

Thanks ,the Nuke should already have a good queen, i added brood just to boost the colony. - a nail in place of the lug is a good idea.


any ideas about the fist colony, i did see a lot of drones....?

 

[Poly Hive]

The moral of this story Bandini is knocking out queen cells to delay prevent or whistle in the wind swarming is down right a total and complete waste of time.

You were badly advised.

On seeing that situation the advice I would have given you is to AS immediately.

From afar it now looks as if you have supercedure going on so I myself would leave well alone.

PH

 

[alanf]

a nail in place of the lug is a good idea.

I have seen screws or cup hooks used which might be less disruptive than hammering.

Depends how strong the joint is after the break and drop really and if you have any longer term plans for the frame - you could cable tie something like a large nail to the top bar if a nail or screw might not hold. A band of garden wire around it is one way of reducing the risk of a damaged frame falling apart as you lift it.

 

[Bandini]

Thank you all,

PH, point taken.

AlanF, a screw is the way forward, thank you.

Tim