Another late Artificial Swarm

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rwestoll

New Bee
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
38
Reaction score
1
Location
Cumbria
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
12
I find myself in the same position as darren64. I have just found QCs in a hive which was AS'd in the first week of July.(Originally a 5 frame Nuc, acquired late May) Obviously this is the old queen part of the AS. Last w/e I thought the two cells on the middle of a frame might have been supersedure cells, but there are 2 capped and about 5 uncapped QC's today. Could not do AS this evening 'cos no hive or frames prepared etc but am now prepared. There is plenty of honey in Broodbox, a pretty full super on and a bit of honey in another. Brood is on 6 frames with eggs and larvae present. We are close to Himalayan Balsam, which they have just started to work, so if weather is kind there should be plenty for them.

I have a cast swarm with an unmated queen at another location about ¾ mile away, and I am anxious to use this line of bees (black strain) rather than the hive which is about to swarm (yellowish strain). I think the black bees are better suited to Cumbria and also this is obviously a swarmy strain. Can you please advise me how best to proceed. What size of hive to AS into, (Normal brood boxes and 12mm Plywood Nuc boxes available), Can I use my Black Cast swarm queen without taking any of the bees 3 miles or more away? Would it be best to take the queenless AS'd hive to a position next to the Black Queen as soon as I do the AS. When is the earliest that the two hives can be united?

Thanks in anticipation of your replies!
 

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