Failing artificial swarm - determined to swarm

[Tommy Tip Top]

Hi

I have artificially swarmed a queen- celled colony. The old queen is on the old site with new foundation; one empty drawn comb and a frame of sealed brood (A)

The other part of the colony (B)is a few feet away with the rest of the bees, brood at different stages and a queen cell. Both have stores.

My problem is that the queen colony (A) keeps finding a way to make queen cells. The clipped queen then disappears under the mesh base. They still seem determined to swarm.

At the moment I have made sure that the queen is present and cut all the queen cells back. Any advice on how to stop them from producing queen cells again please? Any advice appreciated. Thank you

 

[enrico]

Is she still laying? Sounds like they are trying to swap her for another! I would put her in a nuc with a frame if brood and of food and combine the two colonies back together again. See what others say and take your pick of the answers.

 

[hemo]

If after an A/S they are still trying to replace the queen then work with them rather then against them. They obviously think she is failing or lacking in pheromones so go with the flow , either bump her on the head if you have a couple of decent QC's or try placing her in a nuc . If in the nuc you have the same issue then you know 100% she is not up to it.

 

[Tommy Tip Top]

Is she still laying? Sounds like they are trying to swap her for another! I would put her in a nuc with a frame if brood and of food and combine the two colonies back together again. See what others say and take your pick of the answers.

Thank you

 

[Tommy Tip Top]

If after an A/S they are still trying to replace the queen then work with them rather then against them. They obviously think she is failing or lacking in pheromones so go with the flow , either bump her on the head if you have a couple of decent QC's or try placing her in a nuc . If in the nuc you have the same issue then you know 100% she is not up to it.

Thank you.

 

[ericbeaumont]

put her in a nuc

how to stop them from producing queen cells again

Bear in mind, Tommy, that when you nuc the queen the absence of her pheromone in the colony will trigger emergency queen cells.

You will have to reduce to one QC and repeat the check after 7 days.

 

[Tommy Tip Top]

Bear in mind, Tommy, that when you nuc the queen the absence of her pheromone in the colony will trigger emergency queen cells.

You will have to reduce to one QC and repeat the check after 7 days.

Thank you.