Demaree method

[jenkinsbrynmair]

. and at what point can i join back the two brood boxes ... to avoid the top one getting honey bound ?

You can run a 'rolling Demarree' - ie, each inspection take out the newly vacated/emerged frames from the top box (doesn't matter whether there is some fresh honey in them) move them down to the bottom box, move frames of brood from the bottom box (If you select only sealed brood, less chance of a surprise QC) back up to the top box, you can do this for as long as you feel they still have swarming fever.
It will stop so much honey getting in to the top box

 

[citrus]

You can run a 'rolling Demarree' - ie, each inspection take out the newly vacated/emerged frames from the top box (doesn't matter whether there is some fresh honey in them) move them down to the bottom box, move frames of brood from the bottom box (If you select only sealed brood, less chance of a surprise QC) back up to the top box, you can do this for as long as you feel they still have swarming fever.
It will stop so much honey getting in to the top box

thanks for the advice ... and will keep rolling then .. just leave the fresh eggs down in the bottom bb

another question for you tho ...I have another hive that is making active qc's and so broke the first lot down to buy some time ... but as soon as they get to that stage ... in your opinion its too late to demarree

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

.I have another hive that is making active qc's and so broke the first lot down to buy some time ... but as soon as they get to that stage ... in your opinion its too late to demarree

You might get away with it, but no guarantee, probably a 50/50 chance

 

[citrus]

You can run a 'rolling Demarree' - ie, each inspection take out the newly vacated/emerged frames from the top box (doesn't matter whether there is some fresh honey in them) move them down to the bottom box, move frames of brood from the bottom box (If you select only sealed brood, less chance of a surprise QC) back up to the top box, you can do this for as long as you feel they still have swarming fever.
It will stop so much honey getting in to the top box

Right so inspected yesterday and oddly found fresh eggs and a bit of brood (not all drone brood) in the top bb of the demarree that was initiated on 17th April (this is day 19 then with <=6 day inspections)

Have to say this has thrown me off kilter as wasn't expecting this ...

The bottom brood box has lots more brood so did the rolling demarree again and moved up the capped from the bottom brood box to the top and moved the nectar filled brood frames down stairs ... gave them an extra on top to fill that instead.

Could it be the queen slipped through the plastic qx ... or could I have a rogue queen at the top of the top bb ?

yours confused.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

fresh eggs? Laying worker perchance?

 

[citrus]

fresh eggs? Laying worker perchance?

well i thought that .. so put those dodgy eggs in a nuc as a practice run of an artificial swarm/increase so that the top bb is now nice brood from the bottom of the box (from the real queen)

perhaps I didnt do enough rolling demarree so the nurse bees upstairs ran out of brood to look after ?

does that sounds plausible

good things was .. no qc's in the top bb but will check again in <=7 days

 

[citrus]

just bumping this .... next inspection due at the weekend ...

so "eggs from a laying worker" most likely for my fresh eggs in the top bb (top of the demarree)

.. would a queen in the thriving bb really climb through the plastic qx .. up through two supers and into the the top box ?

 

[citrus]

inspection yesterday and now only got one small qc in the top of the demaree this time

so this inspection is on day 25 (from demarree date for 17th April)

things look better and rolled some more frames and installed metal qx rather than the plastic ones

 

[citrus]

How long to demarree for ?

inspection yesterday and now only got one small qc in the top of the demaree this time

so this inspection is on day 25 (from demarree date for 17th April)

things look better and rolled some more frames and installed metal qx rather than the plastic ones

Right so inspection yesterday and given no more qc's in the top bb and after 32 days since I did the pre-emptive demarree ... decided to go back to double bb and merge the colony back together

hope that is right JBM .. and thanks again for the notes

(have another two demarree's on the go now !)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

sounds good to me

 

[SDM]

At what point would a third brood box be the way to go.