First Q cell

[wightbees]

Today I found my first QC from a overwinter Nuc. My fault really as I new it was overflowing with bees. I knocked it back a week and half ago but with the rape coming in, it wasn't enough and ran out of room. When I say out of room, it was a six frame nuc with six full frames filled with cap brood! I removed 4 frames to help two other colonies along, replaced with empty frames of comb. Also moved the Nuc so flying bees United to another colony. Will check it in a couple of days, hopefully this has done the trick.

 

[JWF]

How did you get on? I've got plenty of drones and a few cups in my colonies, but no Queen Cells so far, apart from an empty one in a colony that seems to have superseded at some point since the autumn.

 

[Dodge]

2 x hives on brood and a half, local Montreal's too. Both needed supering as rammed fuel of bees plus a large amount of stone's and drone brood. 1 of which full of swarm cells which are capped. Queen still at home so artificial swarm performed.

 

[Finman]

Today I found my first QC from a overwinter Nuc. My fault really as I new it was overflowing with bees. I knocked it back a week and half ago but with the rape coming in, it wasn't enough and ran out of room. When I say out of room, it was a six frame nuc with six full frames filled with cap brood! I removed 4 frames to help two other colonies along, replaced with empty frames of comb. Also moved the Nuc so flying bees United to another colony. Will check it in a couple of days, hopefully this has done the trick.

Why didn't you put the frames into a whole box?

 

[wightbees]

How did you get on? I've got plenty of drones and a few cups in my colonies, but no Queen Cells so far, apart from an empty one in a colony that seems to have superseded at some point since the autumn.

Yes it has worked perfectly. I have checked this afternoon and still lots of bees happily working away and the Queen is laying.

This Queen is my Breeder Queen, 3 years old now and only lives in my Nucleus box as I'm wanting to get the most I can out of her!

 

[Poly Hive]

Good grief I haven't managed to even open up all of mine. Currently 6C and low cloud and drizzling and the forecast is poor.

Talk about being frustrated.

PH

 

[jeff33]

I had to put a 2nd brood box on 2 hives which had 7 frames of brood and stick a 2nd super on these to! No OSR here but the hawthorn is out early and the weather has been good for the last few days.

I also transferred a strong nuc into a 14x12. Bees are doing very well here atm, I would say 3 weeks early.

 

[Roola]

Mixed bag with mine, some really strong with 2 supers on already, I'd say the majority are average... Building up well but not in sufficient numbers to take full advantage of the blossom. Anything is better than last year, this time last year we had snow!

 

[wightbees]

Been flowering for while but looking good.

 

[Murox]

Good grief I haven't managed to even open up all of mine. Currently 6C and low cloud and drizzling and the forecast is poor.

Talk about being frustrated.

PH

13C is forecast for Monday and Tuesday over here on the west. I hope to have a first look inside if its not too windy on the hill.

 

[Wingy]

Well ahead here. 1 hive on double brood & 2 supers over QX. 1 hive just added first super & other hive which I thought I had lost now has 3 frames brood still dummied down to 7 frames but picking up.
Today saw 3rd inspection completed on all 3 hives, fair amount of drone brood & a few drones seen, few Q cups but none charged

 

[Poly Hive]

The forecast here is 10 today then 8's and 9's for the next ten days. ARGH!

PH

 

[mike99]

The forecast here is 10 today then 8's and 9's for the next ten days. ARGH!PH

Same here. Up to now single figures till Saturday. No inspections and I am still feeding with fondant, single brood, and no super.

 

[GuyNir]

Expecting 15c today in the West borders, then 10-11c for the rest of the week. Some strong hives already have supers on.

 

[SDM]

Today I found my first QC from a overwinter Nuc. My fault really as I new it was overflowing with bees. I knocked it back a week and half ago but with the rape coming in, it wasn't enough and ran out of room. When I say out of room, it was a six frame nuc with six full frames filled with cap brood! I removed 4 frames to help two other colonies along, replaced with empty frames of comb. Also moved the Nuc so flying bees United to another colony. Will check it in a couple of days, hopefully this has done the trick.

Similar situation here, frantically hiving nucs , adding brood boxes to singles, supers to doubles, switched a couple of strong nucs with weak ones to bleed off bees. I wouldnt let the nucs get as strong as they are by choice but am behind by a fortnight because the bees are ahead by a month. Delivering and installing nucs for beginners is eating into my time too.

 

[jeff33]

At this rate, I am going to put my swarm boxes out this weekend

 

[wightbees]

I had to do artificial swarm on one today! It was late but the Queen showed herself luckily for me, this made it quicker and easier. I also had a Q cell in a drone layer! Lots of new bees but the brood has gone to pot with Drone brood.