Demaree

[jeff33]

You may find that all your emerged frames have been filled with nectar or pollen this year. If you put it back over the current brood box it will just be used as a super. I live mine as they are once I have done a demaree and when the top box is full of honey I extract and do a 2nd demaree if needs be or let them clean the frames.

Realistically if you run your bees on dble brood you shouldn't have to demaree, we are talking about 21 frames for a queen to lay-in...

 

[drex]

Run all mine on double brood. Have done two Demarees thus far. Rarely are all frames in a brood box available for laying. Must be a bad beekeeper

 

[Bear]

I did my 1st ever demaree on Monday, (normally perform splits or sengrove for swarm control) it’s a single brood box. Would I be right in saying I have to check the bottom brood box to make sure the queen is their? And destroy all EQC in the top brood box.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I did my 1st ever demaree on Monday, (normally perform splits or sengrove for swarm control) it’s a single brood box. Would I be right in saying I have to check the bottom brood box to make sure the queen is their? And destroy all EQC in the top brood box.

You should know the queen is in there as you put her there, with nothing but empty drawn comb and/or foundation she will be fine - I don't bother checking the bottom box again until two weeks after the initial maneuvre.
The top box may have some queen cells; they're not EQC's more like supersedure cells. It's your choice then - either tear them all down or if you want to make increase, make up a nuc from three frames of brood and from the top box plus shake a frame or two more of bees into it.

 

[Bear]

“The top box may have some queen cells; they're not EQC's”

I read somewhere they were EQC’s. Any way I’m not wanting to make a nuc with them. I’ve others I can do later on if I want. What or how can this method fail though? I have read on here that the “demaree wasn’t successful”. And I’m my opinion the only way to know was to look for the queen in the bottom brood box.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I read somewhere they were EQC’s.

There are one or two people (on here in fact) who haven't got the foggiest on the concept of Demarree - the queen is still in the hive but the bees in the top box only get a faint whiff of pheromone so they build supersedure cells to replace her - that's why you don't get many QC's, sometimes none at all

I have read on here that the “demaree wasn’t successful”..

I refer you to the previous answer - if it ain't done properly, it ain't going to work, but rocket science it isn't

And I’m my opinion the only way to know was to look for the queen in the bottom brood box.

Well why ask then?

 

[Bear]

There are one or two people (on here in fact) who haven't got the foggiest on the concept of Demarree - the queen is still in the hive but the bees in the top box only get a faint whiff of pheromone so they build supersedure cells to replace her - that's why you don't get many QC's, sometimes none at all

Ok I understand.


I refer you to the previous answer - if it ain't done properly, it ain't going to work, but rocket science it isn't



Well why ask then?

I ask as it’s my 1st time using this method and am curious to know how or why it can fail. I take it it cannot fail then.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Anything can fail, but if done properly, not very often. The biggest incidence of failure is when people Demarree on finding swarm cells (there are some who advise this - they are wrong) I don't inspect/chase the queen the week after Demarree as I like to give her time to settle.
The only time you need to watch is, if you Demarree at time of dearth or if there's a prolonged cold period so they are reluctant to draw comb, That's why I like to give them as much drawn comb as possible in the bottom box - In his explanation of the method Demarree actually used all drawn comb if he had any available.
That's why, I tend to 'roll' the Demarree taking a frame or two capped brood from the bottom box (after two weeks there should be quite a bit) and swapping it for frames where the majority of brood has emerged from the top. It doesn't matter if there are some stores in the vacated cells as the bees will soon shift it to make room for eggs.

 

[Bear]

Ok. I put as much drawn brood comb in the bottom brood box as I could but I think 4 frames are just foundation. Going by the amount of bees coming and going it looks ok from the outside.

 

[Swarm]

You've got to use what you have to hand, they should be alright like that.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I aim for at least three to four frames of drawn comb - just about right to keep her going until they draw more.

 

[Etton]

You should know the queen is in there as you put her there, with nothing but empty drawn comb and/or foundation she will be fine - I don't bother checking the bottom box again until two weeks after the initial maneuvre.
The top box may have some queen cells; they're not EQC's more like supersedure cells. It's your choice then - either tear them all down or if you want to make increase, make up a nuc from three frames of brood and from the top box plus shake a frame or two more of bees into it.

Did my 7 day check on my two demarees and no QC's in the bottom BB as you suggested and in the top box one had two QC's and the other had eight QC's. Rather than creating nuc's, I reduced to one QC in each top BB hoping for a new Q in each. Could this though just encourage the hive to swarm?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Did my 7 day check on my two demarees and no QC's in the bottom BB as you suggested and in the top box one had two QC's and the other had eight QC's. Rather than creating nuc's, I reduced to one QC in each top BB hoping for a new Q in each. Could this though just encourage the hive to swarm?

Never known it to.