AS aborted - what now?

[BBK]

After seeing plenty of play cups and having been away for 10 days I carried out an inspection on my single hive today and I finally had a large queen cell (sealed). Having been prepared for this I began my AS operation as per Dave Cushman. All was going well until it came to finding the Queen. She is marked but rarely seen. Eggs, and brood in all stages present. Went through the box 3 times before giving up and putting everything back on the original stand. I even went back an hour later for another go but even my laid back bees were seriously unimpressed and I don't blame them. The hive is chocka with bees so very unlikely that i have missed a swarm.

Question is, what now? No evidence of laying in the 2 supers. Should I give it another go tomorrow evening. I'm hesitant to break down the Queen Cell as a delaying tactic as I'm aware that this is my best chance of having a strong Queen (with a single hive I'm aiming to AS into 2 this year).

 

[circe]

check out Bee Base - there is fact sheet for Swarm Control whe you can't find the queen.

hope this helps.

 

[Black Comb]

Normally the queen goes off with the prime swarm as soon as the cell is sealed so she may be gone. It is well documented that it is difficult to tell from the quantity of bees whether or not they have swarmed.

Do not break down the cell until you are sure what has happened.

 

[Tom Bick]

You refer to one cell this could be supersedure and not swarming?

If the hive was to swarm you tend to get a number of cells not always but often at the bottom of the frames.

With supersedure you often have one cell in the centre of a frame.

 

[SixFooter]

Shake/brush all bees onto foundation in a new BB over a QX on the original stand. Put another QX over this box and put the brood box containing the old brood on top. next day, move the topmost brood box nearby on a new stand,floor and under a new roof. = AS without finding the Queen.

I think I got that right, I only read about the technique recently.

 

[Swarm]

BBK,
If the hive is very full, put another super on it to help clear the BB a bit. The Queen is marked, so she must be found .. or you could remove the frame with the QC and a couple more into a nuc, making absolutely sure she is not on them.
The status of your original hive will soon be apparent.

 

[BBK]

Thanks all for the advice. The single Queen Cell is in the classic position at the bottom of a frame- so not sure about supersedure. The bees are "stringing together" quite a lot at the bottom of the frames which the bee inspector who had a look at my hive 10 days ago said was an indication that they were thinking of swarming. I've got 2 supers on - the top one hasn't been drawn much so they have space if they want it - but the brood box remains pretty full with a lot of capped brood also. I'll read up a bit on the AS without finding the Queen.

Thanks again - I'll let people know what transpires. A learning episode if a little stressful!!