Demaree. I knew it was too good to be true

[Tremyfro]

My Fave queen was superseded by her daughter during last winter...sadly. Her genes live on though thanks to Polyhive suggesting a hive swop. That worked a treat although it was a time of great suspense and worry. Don't lose your Buckie queen or the neighbourhood will revolt!

 

[Obee1]

If she makes it I would use her eggs/young larvae to raise other queens and replace some of you less desirable ones.

Yes that's the plan. Hopefully they are as good as her.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Just for reference, here is a hive/colony I checked today a week after a demaree.

It's doing really well, 4th super added today and not one queen cell in the top box!

Slightly frustrating as I was going to make a nuc from it!

I didn't check the complete lower BB, just far enough to see brood and the queen (she was on the 2nd frame in).

 

[Obee1]

Just for reference, here is a hive/colony I checked today a week after a demaree.

It's doing really well, 4th super added today and not one queen cell in the top box!

Slightly frustrating as I was going to make a nuc from it!

I didn't check the complete lower BB, just far enough to see brood and the queen (she was on the 2nd frame in).

Looking good. Did you use a full QE beneath the top box? I found changing to a snelgrove board with only a panel of QE made them raise QC - which I did pinch for my apidea. My bottom box laid 5 frames by day 19 - but also added some QC just to torment me. Should have gone in after 14 days to check methinks.
When will you recombine?

 

[YorkshireBees]

Looking good. Did you use a full QE beneath the top box? I found changing to a snelgrove board with only a panel of QE made them raise QC - which I did pinch for my apidea. My bottom box laid 5 frames by day 19 - but also added some QC just to torment me. Should have gone in after 14 days to check methinks.
When will you recombine?

I made my own boards from standard crown boards (the type with feeder/bee escape holes). I cover the holes with some cut down old queen excluder and cut a swing entrance on one side for a entrance.

I have experienced no QC's being raised before, either the queen is strong and produces enough Queen substance or for some other reason they decided not too.

I do not re-combine. I use the top box to rotate empty frames to the lower BB and replace with fully laid brood frames, hence continually giving laying space to the queen. Or if I don't have time then after all the brood is emerged in the top box I repeat the demaree.

It doesn't always work but last year I managed to prevent several colonies from producing any swarm cells in the lower BB with this method. Produced several Nucs and built large colonies that took advantage of the Summer flow.

 

[Eyeman]

I do not re-combine. I use the top box to rotate empty frames to the lower BB and replace with fully laid brood frames, hence continually giving laying space to the queen. Or if I don't have time then after all the brood is emerged in the top box I repeat the demaree.

Don't they fill the combs in the top box with honey as soon as the brood has emerged?
Is it these part filled combs that you are rotating with the bottom box? If so, do the bees move that honey into the supers so she still has room to lay or does it just congest the box and thats can lead to QC's in the bottom box?

 

[beeno]

Don't they fill the combs in the top box with honey as soon as the brood has emerged?
Is it these part filled combs that you are rotating with the bottom box? If so, do the bees move that honey into the supers so she still has room to lay or does it just congest the box and thats can lead to QC's in the bottom box?

I thought this was interesting: Double brood configuration, BBB brood/stores little room, TBB very little brood full of honey, Super empty.
Remedy which did not exactly work as beek imagined, but I am pleased. TBB with honey top, super, BBB with brood.
Outcome: TBB emptied of most honey lots of eggs and larvae, super full of honey, BBB some larvae and capped brood.
Now: Super on top, followed by TBB and BBB.
I was operating without QX, but now under super.
I wonder what the little darlings have in store today, perhaps some QC?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Nice bit of gibberish up there. Looks like a few of the keys have stuck.

Don't they fill the combs in the top box with honey as soon as the brood has emerged?
Is it these part filled combs that you are rotating with the bottom box? If so, do the bees move that honey into the supers so she still has room to lay or does it just congest the box and thats can lead to QC's in the bottom box?

You just rotate the part filled brood frames and put them below - bees move the stores back up so there's plenty of laying space for the queen. Sometimes when there's a heavy flow on it's hard to keep up with them - When it gets to the point that swarming fever has abated, I don't fret, just extract the deep frames at the end of the year. Had one hive last year where the top deep eventually ended up in the middle of all the shallows

 

[beeno]

I thought my observation was quite interesting - that they moved the honey down not up!

 

[Obee1]

I thought my observation was quite interesting - that they moved the honey down not up!

Must admit I'm a little confused by your explanation. So - did you have two bb with honey mainly uptop. No room in either. Super unused - on top?

You then moved the super to the middle and they moved the honey down into it?

Now you have placed super back on top?

Am I right in saying you didn't have a QE on during this?

 

[beeno]

Must admit I'm a little confused by your explanation. So - did you have two bb with honey mainly uptop. No room in either. Super unused - on top?

You then moved the super to the middle and they moved the honey down into it?

Now you have placed super back on top?

Am I right in saying you didn't have a QE on during this?

Correct Obee 1.
So, it wasn't that difficult then Jenkins you have to pay more attention and not be such a miserable old fart.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It's still a load of twaddle whatever you want to call it.

 

[Eyeman]

Nice QC from the top box of a Demaree.
Makes a change when the QC isn't attached to the woodwork.

 

[Obee1]

Nice QC from the top box of a Demaree.
Makes a change when the QC isn't attached to the woodwork.


View attachment 13227

My demaree turned a/s has become a big colony with 5 supers ( one BB size) plus another full colony headed by fave queens daughter. The two QC I put in nucs not so good. One disappeared after starting to lay one nuc turned laying workers. No idea where q went!
Below have s a pic of the main hive with the newly made second colony to the left.

 

[Eyeman]

My demaree turned a/s has become a big colony with 5 supers ( one BB size)

I like to rearrange super frames in the existing 3 supers to get one thats mostly capped and can be removed once I'm planning on adding a 4th super so I try and keep to 3.
Doesn't always work though!

 

[Obee1]

I like to rearrange super frames in the existing 3 supers to get one thats mostly capped and can be removed once I'm planning on adding a 4th super so I try and keep to 3.
Doesn't always work though!

Yes I confess a tower so high is very difficult to lift the supers from. Four are ready for extraction - I do swop frames around - but I just harvested some OSR honey and didn't want to extract again so soon. I think I'm at the limit of my ability to lift any higher and running out of supers now so I suppose will have to get extracting.

 

[Tremyfro]

Yes I confess a tower so high is very difficult to lift the supers from. Four are ready for extraction - I do swop frames around - but I just harvested some OSR honey and didn't want to extract again so soon. I think I'm at the limit of my ability to lift any higher and running out of supers now so I suppose will have to get extracting.

Quit complaining...there are some of us who are happy to get half a super to harvest! I have tower envy!

 

[Obee1]

Quit complaining...there are some of us who are happy to get half a super to harvest! I have tower envy!

I have beeyard and beeshed envy. And paddocks and barns and lovely views envy.

 

[Tremyfro]

I have beeyard and beeshed envy. And paddocks and barns and lovely views envy.

Your envy caps mine!....ill be content with my 9lbs of Spring honey...must admit it tastes really good. Feel free to tell me how much spring honey you will have and I will look at the view!
Ericalfbee....did I read somewhere that dandelion honey improves in flavour with age?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ericalfbee....did I read somewhere that dandelion honey improves in flavour with age?

I blooming well hope so