Every cloud has a silver lining - introducing QCs

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Joined
Mar 11, 2021
Messages
1,772
Reaction score
1,182
Location
Glossop, North Derbyshire
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
4 to 12!
My most docile hive swarmed a month ago. I hived the swarm, but hadn't examined beyond checking there was brood.
On Friday it swarmed! It was on one brood box and a super it hadn't drawn out.
I hived the new swarm and cut back to 1 QC, putting 3 QCs in an incubator.
I have a couple of nucs where I had nuced the queens of "unfriendly" hives that were preparing to swarm.
I'm thinking to squish the Qs in the nucs and introduce a QC out of the incubator.
What's the best length of time to leave them queenless before adding a cell? Are they likely to tear it down if I introduce at the same visit as squishing the Q?
 
Whatever you do I’d seriously consider changing those swarmy genes.
Very docile though, and less "runny" than my other hives. Was a long time before this queen initially swarmed so I'm happy to keep her & use her to requeen my feisty hives by uniting with a nuc once laying.
 
Well I did the deed this afternoon. One of the nucs was on the point of swarming with 2 sealed QCs and a few open ones! Removed the Q and QCs and added my selected QC with foil protection. Similar with the other nuc (no swarm preps) but divided into 2 (BS nuc with divider) and added a QC each.
Still feels bad to kill the Qs though! (Especially so close to the jubilee celebrations :laughing-smiley-004 ).
🤞 they emerge & get mated ok!
 

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