After AS

[Erichalfbee]

After AS leaving one open Queen Cell in the parent colony is there any point going in 5/6 days later to break down any fresh QCs the bees have made or would moving the box to the other side of the AS thus bleeding more flying bees off suffice?

I know I went into the box after 5/6 days last year as I wasn't going to do this second move.

I don't intend to increase but unite later before the main flow.

Thanks

 

[tonybloke]

After AS leaving one open Queen Cell in the parent colony is there any point going in 5/6 days later to break down any fresh QCs the bees have made

Thanks

if you want to have casts, just leave them to it.

 

[luckydunny]

if you want to have casts, just leave them to it.

What if you do not want casts should you go in and disturb again, breaking down any new QC's?

I have done an A/S and there is no room on other side of original hive to move boxes to. What should be done to negate catses?

I am going for increase and will not be reuniting.

 

[tonybloke]

What if you do not want casts should you go in and disturb again, breaking down any new QC's?

I have done an A/S and there is no room on other side of original hive to move boxes to. What should be done to negate catses?

I am going for increase and will not be reuniting.

yes, if you don't want casts, go in again and break down any more qc's formed.

swap the hives around in a week to bleed off flyers, and again in another week.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Mmmmm I thought that removing all the flying bees one day before the virgin emerges might dissuade them from casting and she would go clean up all the remaining queen cells.
Well if it doesn't then I might just as well go in at the 5/6 days and leave the box where it is.
Just wondered why the second manipulation was done, unless it's to increase the number of foragers in the AS which will be the productive hive if there is to be an increase.

Edit
So you move the hive twice after doing your AS?
Isn't there a chance that a Queen on her mating flight might get lost?

 

[sandysman]

Check out the document from the Welsh Assembly "There are queen cells in my hive what should I do" I tried to post the link last week but failed. If you just type the title into Google it will take you there and answer most of your questions. Or, raise others.

Andy

 

[RoofTops]

What should be done to negate catses?

Get some dogses.

(Sorry couldn't resist it)

But more seriously, colonies do swarm again after an AS often enough for you to be rightly concerned. To be really sure a quick inspection, being very careful not to harm the existing queen cell would pot your mind at rest - just make sure your timing is correct and you don't do it after the new queen has emerged.

 

[luckydunny]

Get some dogses.

(Sorry couldn't resist it)

would pot your mind at rest - .

What are you using as smoker fuel!!!!!

Thanks for post and reassurance/guidance.

 

[RoofTops]

Touché! Although I am sure there has been discussion here on what you can put in your smoker to anaesthetise the bees. Magic mushrooms or something like that.

 

[oliver90owner]

Touché!

I would not have been surprised if part of the inspiration was this in your post!: would pot your mind at rest

 

[mbc]

If you get the timing right you could always go into the AS'd hive and "pull" all the virgins ( manually emerge them) so that there are no queen cells left and then they wont throw a cast. Slightly imature virgins seem fine to hardenm off in the hive so long as their wings are fully formed.

 

[RoofTops]

Touché!

I would not have been surprised if part of the inspiration was this in your post!: would pot your mind at rest

Do keep up o90o!

 

[oliver90owner]

Sorry, scanning through tooquickly. Mea culpa.

 

[Mandeville]

If you get the timing right you could always go into the AS'd hive and "pull" all the virgins ( manually emerge them) so that there are no queen cells left and then they wont throw a cast. Slightly imature virgins seem fine to hardenm off in the hive so long as their wings are fully formed.

I think I'm misunderstanding this - could you explain a bit more how this works? Do you leave all the virgins in the hive? How does this stop casts?

 

[tonybloke]

nope, all virgins removed, and put into mating nuc's, is how I read it

 

[drstitson]

i thought the idea of releasing ALL the virgins into the hive at once was that they would fight until just one remained, and hence no casts.

The problem with intact QCs is that a) they are different ages and b) the bees can let the virgins out one at a time, hence the problem with individuals flying out with casts as the colony knows they still have back-up!

 

[mbc]

I think I'm misunderstanding this - could you explain a bit more how this works? Do you leave all the virgins in the hive? How does this stop casts?

Bees only throw casts when there's sealed cells, as Drs says, you can have as many virgins loose in a hive as you like but they wont throw a cast rather they'll fight it out until the last girl is standing.
Before taking any of this as gospel, read PH's signature.