Bailey comb change but missed queen

[snecklifter]

Performed BCC (If that's not an abbreviation I'm starting it!) to get rid of old nuc frames but couldn't see queen.
Gave all frames a good shake on the diagonal into the new box which already had stores and small amount of brood.

I'm planning to wait two weeks then check bottom BB. Does this sound like a fair plan?

Queen was clipped and marked.

 

[REDWOOD]

You don't have to find the queen or shake bees for the first part of the BCC

 

[enrico]

I'm a bit confused as to why you shook them in too!

 

[Skyhook]

I'm a bit confused as to why you shook them in too!

I suspect the OP has done a cross between a bailey change and a shook swarm.

.

 

[Pete D]

Performed BCC (If that's not an abbreviation I'm starting it!) to get rid of old nuc frames but couldn't see queen.
Gave all frames a good shake on the diagonal into the new box which already had stores and small amount of brood.

I'm planning to wait two weeks then check bottom BB. Does this sound like a fair plan?

Queen was clipped and marked.

Hi Snecklifter, I have to say I am a bit confused by this, what was you trying to achieve and what did you do, what was the hive configuration pre and post your actions.

From what you have said it could be a variation of;

• Bailey comb change
• Shook swarm
• Unite
• Swapping a couple of dodgy frames out.

A bit more information needed
cheers

 

[pargyle]

Am I missing something ?

OP has 1 hive so presumably no drawn frames ... in any case shouldn't Bailey Comb Changes be done when the colony is really steaming ahead and there's plenty of bees to build out the new frames and some chance of continuing warm weather ?

Dave Cushman has a good plan to follow when a change of all frames is necessary but I would have thought it would have to be something serious to warrant a complete comb change, particularly at this time of the year - there usually seems to be less drastic, more gradual, measures to move old comb out.

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/baileychange.html

 

[Pete D]

Am I missing something ?

OP has 1 hive so presumably no drawn frames ... in any case shouldn't Bailey Comb Changes be done when the colony is really steaming ahead and there's plenty of bees to build out the new frames and some chance of continuing warm weather ?


http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/baileychange.html

All very confusing, he says new box already had some brood and stores which he then shook the bees into.
Also notice that he is trying to get rid of the nuc frames so I think maybe he has 5 or 6 old nuc frames in a full brood box, made up with newer frames last year as the nuc expanded.
He now wants to remove these older frames and I guess replace them with foundation ?
So he is probably put another brood full of frames on top of his existing, swapped the good frames containing brood and food and ..............oh I dont know, best wait for some more info.
Hey its putting my post count up though......

 

[Pete D]

Ah,,,,,,,,,
just looked back at previous posts, overwintering 6 frames in a full brood box with 'scabby nuc frames' and wants to encourage bees to draw foundation out so he can remove old frames. 6th of February thread.

Redwoods first reply to that post would have done the job, not sure whats prompted this new course of action.

 

[pargyle]

Ah,,,,,,,,,
just looked back at previous posts, overwintering 6 frames in a full brood box with 'scabby nuc frames' and wants to encourage bees to draw foundation out so he can remove old frames. 6th of February thread.

Redwoods first reply to that post would have done the job, not sure whats prompted this new course of action.

Well spotted ... loads of good advice in that thread ... appears to have been ignored ...

 

[snecklifter]

All very confusing, he says new box already had some brood and stores which he then shook the bees into.

Also notice that he is trying to get rid of the nuc frames so I think maybe he has 5 or 6 old nuc frames in a full brood box, made up with newer frames last year as the nuc expanded.

He now wants to remove these older frames and I guess replace them with foundation ?

So he is probably put another brood full of frames on top of his existing, swapped the good frames containing brood and food and ..............oh I dont know, best wait for some more info.

Hey its putting my post count up though......

Hi, sorry for delayed response and for not being clear enough originally.

Basically Pete D is spot on, I was convinced of the benefit of getting rid of old comb and that this was the time of year to do it.

My mistake was jumping to stage two I guess as I already had some new comb on good frames. I'm fairly happy with the result except that I don't know where Q is!

Advice not ignored, just decided that it was time to progress my learning and understanding. I have made and will no doubt make mistakes - I just need to understand where when I do.

Will check at the weekend and report back!

Thanks

 

[Pete D]

Hi, so the mists are clearing..............
After your look at the weekend let us know exactly what the hive configuration is, what frames are in what box etc
If you do see the queen she really ought to be in the top box with good frames, separated from the other box with a queen excluder, if you end up that way you are getting there.
Good luck

 

[pargyle]

Yep ... good luck from me as well ... I'll be up in Sheffield at the end of the month visiting my daughter & family so, sadly, you are bound to be getting some foul weather ... I've got a patio to lay for her !! Expect the worst ...

 

[REDWOOD]

If you have put a BB on top with fresh foundations then make sure you feed 1:1 to get the foundation built so the queen can move up to lay, the idea is to get her up there and laying.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hi, sorry for delayed response and for not being clear enough originally.

Basically Pete D is spot on, I was convinced of the benefit of getting rid of old comb and that this was the time of year to do it.

My mistake was jumping to stage two I guess as I already had some new comb on good frames. I'm fairly happy with the result except that I don't know where Q is!

Advice not ignored, just decided that it was time to progress my learning and understanding. I have made and will no doubt make mistakes - I just need to understand where when I do.

Will check at the weekend and report back!

Thanks

so what happended to all the old capped brood and eggsand stores, the three week wait is to allow these bees to emerge so the colony does not loose strenght

explain more what you did, as i am unsure, did you just shake them all onto new comb in a new box or what?

in a bailey change at this time of year

1. you remove all the emtpy or full store frames and dummy down the bottom brood box filling the void with insulation,
2. put on a QE and upper entrance , after bringing up the queen to the new box, (either caged on new comb or on a brood frames,)
3. fill the upper box to match the frames on the lower box and dummy as approaite
4. feed 1:1 all the time
5. inspect lower box at 4 and 7 days for QE,
6. add more foundation as necessery to the top box,
7. remove the bottom box after 3 weeks, shaking bees from it into a rearranged hive

well that was the way Bailey did in in the 1970's when i drove the Rothamsted tractor as a Student

 

[snecklifter]

I have clear CB so just done a quick pic as may not have time this weekend.

It's a clear day with the sun directly on the hive for most of the day so thought it worth a quick check.

View attachment 9832
View attachment 9833

 

[snecklifter]

Obviously the pics above are the top BB.

Yes, I have QE between top and bottom BB.

Deciding whether to attach RFID chip to HM now - the white dot is so hard to spot!