Excitement in the Bee Yard

[Tremyfro]

Here we go again.....with the hive inspection. Anticipating harvesting some frames...have borrowed a honey extractor so the grand kids can see how it all works.
Hive 1
Saw the Queen, eggs and BIAS. No QC, a couple of play cups. Lots of stores, some capped and pollen in BB.
All looked healthy. Lots of bees. Bees bringing in HB.
In half BB....mainly honey now...some capped. Some capped drone.
Action....harvested 11 frames. Some had a little drone brood which will be destroyed for varroa control.
Took one frame of brood with eggs and baby larvae for the nuc. Replaced with empty frame. So now plenty of laying room in main BB. Moved half BB above QE.
Hive 2
Saw the Queen, eggs BIAS. No QC seen, a few play cups. Room for laying. Lots of pollen and nectar and capped honey in BB.
Healthy, lots of bees, bringing in HB.
In half brood...mainly capped honey and nectar. Some brood frames.
Action......harvested 9 frames, all capped.
Nuc.
The hive has lots of bees, about 4 seams of bees plus extras. There are still bees yet to emerge from last frame added. The bees are out foraging. Lots of stores still.
The queen cell was torn down from the side...not sure if that means it wasn't viable or not. Queen should have emerged 2 days ago. We couldn't inspect as the weather was awful. Didn't see a Queen but if there was one she could have been out getting mated. The hive was quiet compared to last inspection....so perhaps we do have a Queen. There were no more QC present today. All had been torn down.
Action.....added another frame with eggs and small larvae which they can use if no Queen yet.

So now we have 18 frames of honey...YAAHAY! Small beer compared to some but enormously satisfying for us on our hilltop. There will probably be more but not yet capped so we left it for the experts to finish. The extraction will start when the Grandkids get home from fruit picking at the nearby fruit farm. Hopefully my daughter won't pinch all my honey jars for her jam making! So far the small amounts of honey we have collected from the hives is pale lemon coloured and runny. Fabulous flavour too.
My wine is fermenting on top of the Everhot. Eggs collected, bread cooling, hay is in the barn, honey awaiting spinning.......living in the country is exhausting my OH.....he is a townie and keeps asking ...when is it clocking off time?

 

[dn170221]

Nice read.
Will have to do me as a bee fix until I get out over the weekend

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The queen cell was torn down from the side...not sure if that means it wasn't viable or not. Queen should have emerged 2 days ago. We couldn't inspect as the weather was awful. Didn't see a Queen but if there was one she could have been out getting mated. Action.....added another frame with eggs and small larvae which they can use if no Queen yet.

Word of advice - if you think you have a newly emerged queen in the hive - leave well alone - she needs peace and quiet to setle down, get mated and start laying. Wouldn't inspect for a good few weeks now.
If giving a frame of brood to boost a weak hive, it is always better to give frames of brood on the verge of emerging - giving eggs and larvae just puts more stressed on a small overworked colony of bees.
As for the queen cell - was that the only one? I would have a quick peek in a week's time just to check that frame and see if they have made another QC on that frame of eggs you have just put in.

 

[Tremyfro]

Thx JBM for your reassurance and comments. It always helps to have a second opinion. There had been 5 queen cells originally. 10 days ago all were gone except 1. It looked like there was something in it. Today it was empty. Pulled down at the side. We added another frame, just in case.....leaving it now for at least a week. Then, as you say....a quick peek, to check for queen cells.....otherwise leaving alone. They have plenty of stores and are foraging.
You will have to take your IPad with you....then you can lots of quick fixes to tide you over. Failing that....libraries are good for an hour of computer.....

 

[Blue Spinnaker]

My nuc box has an empty QC with the top off too, hoping she has emerged safely, we seem to be progressing side by side again Tremyfro! Will watch your progress with interest