SixFooter
Queen Bee
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2009
- Messages
- 2,183
- Reaction score
- 1,536
- Location
- Merseyside
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 12
I found Q cells in one of my colonies last week, but couldnt find the Queen. There were lots of eggs, so I split the colony in 2, with eggs in each half, and moved one of them 3 ft away. Then I filled up each brood box with foundation, put them back together and closed up the new colony's entrance with grass.
As I understand it, what is supposed to happen is the QL half should build queen cells and the QR half should not. Also, a week later, the QR half should have more eggs and the QL obviously wont.This is the procedure as per "A Practical Manual of Beekeeping" and makes sense.
Unfortunately, when I opened them up a week later both had Q cells, so I thought the Q must have already left when I made the split, but I found a few eggs and larvae in one of the halves! However, by "a few", I mean about 10!
Can any one explain what has happened as I really cant come up with an explination. My swarm control just isnt working!
As I understand it, what is supposed to happen is the QL half should build queen cells and the QR half should not. Also, a week later, the QR half should have more eggs and the QL obviously wont.This is the procedure as per "A Practical Manual of Beekeeping" and makes sense.
Unfortunately, when I opened them up a week later both had Q cells, so I thought the Q must have already left when I made the split, but I found a few eggs and larvae in one of the halves! However, by "a few", I mean about 10!
Can any one explain what has happened as I really cant come up with an explination. My swarm control just isnt working!