experimental hives designs

[Finman]

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I let them make a new queen. It kills the other queen cells. When the hive has lost its foragers, it will not swarm.

False swarm I do so that I move 10 feet the hive.

Then to old place foundations, +one brood frame and an old queen. Bees fly themselves to the new hive.

If there is no queen, Then I put a queen cell. Clipped queen will die out and often swarming hive is getting a new queen.

 

[JCBrum]

Thank-you Finman, and Mr Mellifera. I shall re-consider the option of National double brood, or single National 14x12.

I'll probably stay on single 14x12 because it's simple, and the artificial swarm procedures seem similar in both cases, and require similar equipment to be available.

 

[Finman]

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In artificial swarm system it is necassary to join parts later because the colony is devided to nurser bees and foragers. Soon power of foragers is out and they need new bees.

In brood hive they are not able to forage surplus during next month and they need old bees. Only way to get into balnace the parts is to join.

That is why same size brood boxes are good and after joining you have 3 brood box or even 4.

Swarming and swarm stopping are very important in beekeeping. Biggest hives swarm first.

 

[JCBrum]

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Swarming and swarm stopping are very important in beekeeping.

I agree entirely, that is why I ask for precise details. Thanks for your help.

 

[MR MELLIFERA]

Do you introduce the queen when the bees are artificially swarmed, or do wait a few days to catch all the emergency cells and then introduce the queen?
Just out of interest, do you find the introduced queen ever gets rejected?

The new queen is introduced as soon as the artificial swarm is made. Of course it is of paramount importance any queens cells are destroyed first.

Occasionally an introduced queen will get rejected, but probably only about 5% of the time.

 

[Onge]

That is why same size brood boxes are good and after joining you have 3 brood box or even 4.

Finman am I right in thinking that you run the medium size Langstroth box throughout your hives ?

 

[Finman]

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I use mixture, Langstroth and mediums. Wooden boxes I made 1965 and 1966.

This is a typical hive in the middle of summer.
This hive is going to fireweed pastures.

Many use only medium boxes because of the weight og full lanngstroth.