demaree question

[user 819]

Hefted and a couple since two weeks ago and both feel good , three more to look at tomorrow but even here it is pretty chilly even with the sun out.
Hopefully a proper look in next week if it gets a few deg's warmer.
Most over wintered on B&H and DB so room should be available still judging from two weeks ago. B&H will revert to DB over next few weeks probably until mid Autumn.

Last year we were spoilt most of my honey came from spring and all were romping much further ahead this time last year.

 

[BigAshW]

I’ve got two that I might start in a week or so if the weather holds up. Brood boxes rammed with brood and nectar so supered those

I have three that I supered during the last warm spell. They were packed with brood and bees. I'm going up tomorrow because I'm worried about what they've been up to in the last two cold weeks.

I'm taking demaree and snelgrove boards in the hope that I'll catch them in time before she goes.

 

[user 819]

Still not to good here today some dark grey clouds and a chilly breeze still blowing, temps don't feel much greater then about 10/11. Checked on three others early pm and all appear good, most bees deciding indoors is better then out. Placed a kilo of fondant above the feed hole sin tubs and bees look plentiful spread out across the top bars, hopefully next week it will be a tad warmer. More BB's or supers at the ready in case, currently all have no QX on so they can do as they wish and likely will continue that way this year.

The main thing for now is they have extra room in way of BB's/supers and have food.
Monday looking better temp wise here.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

update
- 14/4 demareed 3 colonies
- 18/4 made up 2 nucs from top boxes of two of these
- 21/4 removed any extra QCs (two colonies each had 2 sealed cells, the other had none) Much of the capped brood had emerged and was being backfilled with nectar so may look to swap some of these frames with BIA from bottom at weekend - correct?
- 17/4 demareed 2 further colonies, will take down QCs on saturday

 

[Swarm]

Swap back filled combs with sealed brood from downstairs.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

thanks Swarm...was planning to do that on Sat

the odd bits of capped brood can still head back down to bottom box i guess too, when rest of frame is empty and before they fill with nectar...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the odd bits of capped brood can still head back down to bottom box i guess too, when rest of frame is empty and before they fill with nectar...

Yes

 

[Erichalfbee]

thanks Swarm...was planning to do that on Sat

the odd bits of capped brood can still head back down to bottom box i guess too, when rest of frame is empty and before they fill with nectar...

If there is a lot coming in that can be difficult so I put a super on top

 

[Cuckmere couple]

i think i will swap back down those which are empty...get a chance to check bottom box too....and then add a super up top when put back together

 

[Cuckmere couple]

hoping the bees in bottom will move some up

when you have an arc of honey above brood....whats the best way to encourage shifting it....bruise?

 

[Swarm]

With double brood you switch frames like that with ones from below so you keep brood up against the excluder. In your case, on Demarree, I would bruise them and anything capped that you move down.
As Dani suggested above, if there is a flow on a super on top helps with congestion. Remember, you won't need an excluder under it.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

thanks Swarm and got the suggestion re double brood which is a good one (i.e. swap frames from LBB so the brood is right up against excluder) it was more in demaree as a lot of this flow is piling in to brood frames....will add a super and bruise

 

[Mel_Merddyn]

Going to give demaree a go on a double brood that's got a few play cups. Is there a reason why I couldn't use the ready made entrance in an abelo brood box as the top entrance rather than cutting an entrance into the demaree board?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No, none - at least you've found a use for the damn thing

 

[Mel_Merddyn]

No, none - at least you've found a use for the damn thing

That's what I thought

 

[tom8400]

To save posting a separate thread, I have just done the Demerara method on a hive to stop swarming I also took a few frames for a nuc. Now what I'm unsure is can I simply put the brood box back to the bottom in a few weeks or do I have to mess about like as if I'm reuniting them?

 

[Cuckmere couple]

be interested to hear the answers Tom.....if i was choosing without the benefit of others on here, id probably use newspaper just to be belt and braces sure...if the pheromone is weakened to allow drawing Q cells, it may be worth it to avoid risk of having to raise another Q when you re-unite

but, it is probably not essential as JBM etc explain it works as a single colony!

 

[Erichalfbee]

You can simply put them all back together. No problem

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

no need to newspaper unite - they have always been just one colony (even if run with two queens) either leave the top brood box as a super and take it away when you harvest the honey, or dismantle the whole thing

 

[Etton]

Leave one frame of mixed brood with the queen on in the bottom box, put all the brood up into the top box
Do it ASAP

Why... I'm nervous about leaving unseen eggs or young larvae in the bottom BB which then develop into QC's?