Demaree question

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Curly green finger's

If you think you know all, you actually know nowt!
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Location
Titterstone clee South Shropshire
Hive Type
National
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86 + nucs/ mini nucs
Hi I have 9 demareed colonys done over the last two weeks.
Most have got one super between brood boxes, 4 had two but I split them and put the second above all the brood.
Q is it a good idea to keep the middle super with as much comb as pos because these boxes seem to be getting used to store lots of nectar, obviously moving it through on up stairs. Photo attached of colony 11.received_255393796383792.jpegalso at this stage with this colony I've put all the capped honey in the very top box the, second one down has about 5 drawn comb checkered put in yesterday, brood box 8 frames of capped brood which is getting also back filled as they emerge capped honey to the out side frames.
I've just put demaree boards in, I do it 5 days after the demaree is manipulated,
I plan to move some eggs in to the brood boxes next inspection as well as brood frames to roll the demarees in the hope of some queen cells would you suggest to aid the supersedure process if they need another super to put it between brood boxes?
Thanks
Mark.
 
Last edited:
Demaree boards go in the day you set it up. Two supers between broods and any new ones on top. Bit late to be setting up rolling this time of year. By all means set up your Demaree then take the top box away when you have queen cells
 
Either that or just let them backfill the frames with honey
This is what they are doing on most, the harwthorne flow is still good here probably another few days and clover was getting worked yesterday walking around the hills you say rolling a demaree is it to late?
 
...and if the supers between the brood boxes are full and ready to be extracted, how i this cleared please? Put them above the top brood box with a clearer board?
 
OKay I will leave them to fill the brood with honey unless I have cells.

About to check on demaree done last week. One potential that I havent seen commented on; what if there are no queen cells in the top box? Just leave the brood to fully emerge and bees use it as a super? No issues with extracting from once brood filled frames?
 
Yes. If the queen pheromone is strong or if i have only one super between broods. I use simple QXs with an entrance cut out.
If you use one of JBMs boards I should think pheromone might be weakened so QCs more likely.
 
Have you ever had a demaree that did not produce Qcells ?
Thanks
Yes, it happens, a lot of the time you get a queen with rrally strong pheromones and it mat take two or three attempts with fresh frames of eggs/larvae being put up top for them to hopefully have another go.
I had one colony that steadfastly refused to make QC's and I was desperate to get a nuc or two off them so eventually I just made up a Demarree in the hive next door and moved frames over from the stubborn colony and got QC's on them that way.
 
Got just one QC when first set up (yet to emerge in nuc) and I'm using a JBM type board.
Check them again earlier. Top box has many lonely drones. Workers have headed down to be with the queen. Swapped a couple of brood frames that were mostly capped.
DSCF20210616-05-small.jpg
 
Got just one QC when first set up (yet to emerge in nuc) and I'm using a JBM type board.
Check them again earlier. Top box has many lonely drones. Workers have headed down to be with the queen. Swapped a couple of brood frames that were mostly capped.
View attachment 26760
I'm checking on mine on Friday.
I'll post my findings
 
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