lilybetbee
House Bee
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2012
- Messages
- 152
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- High Peak
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 5
A quick re-cap
I started with 2 nucs last spring, unfortunately the first swarmed whilst I was on holiday in July. On my return hive seemed queenless, so given test frame and immediately put up QC. Left for a couple of weeks but queen didn't get mated - now in September. Other colony seemed fine so didn't want to mess with it. Bought a queen and introduced ok. Couldn't see her on final inspection, but too late to do anything.
I shut the hive up and as it was a small colony I wasn't optimistic about survival. However bees still alive, flying and eating fondant, but didn't see pollen going in (unlike the other hive).
I'm assuming that I shouldn't inspect for another 4-5 weeks, but want to plan ahead.
Would the best solution be to add another frame of eggs at that point - assuming I have some! Or try another queen ?
They are in a full National hive - would putting them in a nuc box be a better idea, or just leave them alone.
I started with 2 nucs last spring, unfortunately the first swarmed whilst I was on holiday in July. On my return hive seemed queenless, so given test frame and immediately put up QC. Left for a couple of weeks but queen didn't get mated - now in September. Other colony seemed fine so didn't want to mess with it. Bought a queen and introduced ok. Couldn't see her on final inspection, but too late to do anything.
I shut the hive up and as it was a small colony I wasn't optimistic about survival. However bees still alive, flying and eating fondant, but didn't see pollen going in (unlike the other hive).
I'm assuming that I shouldn't inspect for another 4-5 weeks, but want to plan ahead.
Would the best solution be to add another frame of eggs at that point - assuming I have some! Or try another queen ?
They are in a full National hive - would putting them in a nuc box be a better idea, or just leave them alone.