Demaree

[mbc]

Wish I could take any credit mbc, but this method comes from 30 minutes of grinding my mentor into the ground with millions of questions.....lol

This is the first year I have been proactive regarding swarms. Its my 2nd full season and the 2 hives I had last year both swarmed while I was on holiday..... Doh !!!

Take the credit, many beekeepers refuse (or are unable) to follow instructions.

 

[REDWOOD]

If you Demaree before they go into swarm mode they will only build emergency queen cells, bees don't swarm with emergency queens, remove after nine days so no open brood left to make new queens

 

[Hivemaker.]

Clipping is an important part of it, but going through the top box is too soon, they can still raise a queen, although it is likely to be a scrub one, and often times the development of a few eggs is delayed for a short while which can enable them to produce a good queen from. After nine days they cannot raise any more cells, these colonies also make good cell raisers if very strong...raising from twenty to forty grafted cells at a time, i prefer twenty, the virgins can even be allowed to emerge in cages while in the top box, similar to placing started cells into the supers above (an excluder) of strong colonies to finish them.

 

[HM Honey]

Thanks Guys.....I've learned something tonight...

 

[HM Honey]

If you Demaree before they go into swarm mode they will only build emergency queen cells, bees don't swarm with emergency queens, remove after nine days so no open brood left to make new queens

In my case (Queen is not clipped and the bees were already in swarm mode), would I be ok waiting the 9 days (queen is between two QE's) or should I stick to the 5-6 days and then check again a few days after that?