Emergency hive manipulation - advice needed

[steve_e]

Hi -
For personal reasons I haven't been able to open my two hives up this year until today.

One was fine - the other not so much.

I found many Queen cells, three capped, many uncapped. However, I also found the Queen, somewhat to my surprise. I've not encountered this situation before, so although I'm going to read up to see if I've done the right or wrong thing, I'd also appreciate any suggestions/critical analysis.

So I've done the following, in a slight state of panic and while I had my eye on the Queen:

• Captured her
• Created a new deep brood with empty frames from last year and one of the frames of stores from her original colony (inspected to ensure there were no QCs there)
• Put the new hive in the place of the old one and moved the old one into a new position
• Put a QE UNDER the new brood box, hopefully to stop the Queen taking off anyway.

Is this likely to feel like an artificial swarm to the Queen and flying bees or should I have done something different?


I haven't yet removed any of the QCs in the old colony. I guess I should now go back and remove all of the capped ones, leaving one or two uncapped ones?

 

[drstitson]

all sounds good to me.

and yes - knock down all but decent looking unsealed cells.

(if you have an apidea or similar handy you could fill it and put a sealed QC in for insurance).

 

[steve_e]

Great stuff, thanks for the suggestion. I did buy an apidea last year but haven't yet used it and had completely forgotten about it in the panic!

 

[Chris B]

The important thing is after destroying sealed queen cells, you must then inspect again a week later to reduce to 1 sealed queen cell. Otherwise you'll likely be losing a swarm or two from that box.

 

[Pete D]

The important thing is after destroying sealed queen cells, you must then inspect again a week later to reduce to 1 sealed queen cell. Otherwise you'll likely be losing a swarm or two from that box.

I agree with the leave one cell camp.
Last year I started off the season leaving 2 and as the colonies were big the first virgin that hatched took a swarm with her and left a colony the third of the size (1/3 as AS, 1/3 swarm and 1/3 left in original hive).
Result = loads of colonies but no honey.
If I left 1 and it didnt work then I would have just united the original queen back in.
Good luck

 

[steve_e]

Thanks for the tips both. I've always been a bit worried about leaving just one QC, in case anything goes wrong with it, but with the capped QC in an apidea that should reduce that risk.

 

[ianorsven]

The important thing is after destroying sealed queen cells, you must then inspect again a week later to reduce to 1 sealed queen cell. Otherwise you'll likely be losing a swarm or two from that box.

I too agree.
Left two QCs as recommended by one of the texts last year and ended up with first Q out swarming. Luckily the swarm came to rest in a hedge only about 20m away and I was able to collect and hive. (Proved to be a good big Q and now heads a strong colony) Will only be leaving one good QC this year if needing to AS.

 

[Arfermo]

You caught the queen but did you not clip and mark her? If not, why not?

 

[pargyle]

You caught the queen but did you not clip and mark her? If not, why not?

Well ... I'm not answering for the OP but marking and wing clipping is not essential ... if he's caught the queen once then he's capable of spotting her without dabbing paint all over her and as for wing clipping - a much overrated procedure in my humble opinion !

 

[Oscarmonster]

When you say frames from last year, do you mean you used drawn frames?
I have found through experience that is important to use frames of foundation. Drawn frames don't seem to quell the swarming impulse for very long, if at all.

 

[Chris B]

as for wing clipping - a much overrated procedure in my humble opinion !

Certainly clipping has little value if not backed up with a basic knowledge of the mechanics of swarming. It buys you a little time that's all.

 

[oliver90owner]

An A/S according to Padgen (or similar) should be your aim.

With three colonies and placing a queen cell with fully grown larva in another box that should be enough insurance to enable you to leave a single queen cell in the old box.

There is no other rush. Check all boxes carefully for other queen cells in about three days time. If none, you are likely fairly safe to assume none further will be built.

If you leave more than a single cell in the parent hive you really need to follow the Padgen method faithfully. It is not carried out like that for no good reasons.

Any beekeeper worth the name should either be fully aware of the requirements at swarming time or have the necessary information to hand for immediate reference. There should be no need to be guessing.