Cussword
Drone Bee
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Right, I see that now. Thanks.
Further to not giving up on a virgin!
- Thread starter Tremyfro
- Start date
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OP
Tremyfro
Queen Bee
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Hi Cussword
My plan this year was to make increase. I did this by splitting my big colony with my lovely Carniolan Queen. Over a period of a few weeks I made 6 nucs. Using the queen cells which were made when the top brood box was moved away from the main brood box for 48 hours. I had done some grafts but my bees preferred their own queen cells! Anyway.....this left a small colony in the original brood box....which is dummied down until it regains its strength.
One of the nucs failed.
Of the others ....I have 3 on 14x12 frames, 1 in a long hive, 1 on national frames.
The best outcome will be if all the nucs thrive....2 of the 14x12 nucs will go into long hives and 1 into a paynes jumbo box.
The last 14x12 and the national Nuc will be some insurance during the coming winter....
If ....as the summer progresses ...any of the long hives are weaker than I would like ...then I will combine.
I realised last winter that having only 2 colonies and a Nuc was a vulnerable position to be in...especially if my bees had not wintered well....however they all came through luckily.
My plan this year was to make increase. I did this by splitting my big colony with my lovely Carniolan Queen. Over a period of a few weeks I made 6 nucs. Using the queen cells which were made when the top brood box was moved away from the main brood box for 48 hours. I had done some grafts but my bees preferred their own queen cells! Anyway.....this left a small colony in the original brood box....which is dummied down until it regains its strength.
One of the nucs failed.
Of the others ....I have 3 on 14x12 frames, 1 in a long hive, 1 on national frames.
The best outcome will be if all the nucs thrive....2 of the 14x12 nucs will go into long hives and 1 into a paynes jumbo box.
The last 14x12 and the national Nuc will be some insurance during the coming winter....
If ....as the summer progresses ...any of the long hives are weaker than I would like ...then I will combine.
I realised last winter that having only 2 colonies and a Nuc was a vulnerable position to be in...especially if my bees had not wintered well....however they all came through luckily.
Cussword
Drone Bee
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2014
- Messages
- 1,284
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- Location
- Fylde Coast, Lancashire
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- Still just the 1
Wow! You've been busy. I have been following this thread, I'm just hoping to have two hives at the end of the season, if it ever starts here. 
OP
Tremyfro
Queen Bee
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- Possibly...5 and a bit...depends on the bees.
Wow! You've been busy. I have been following this thread, I'm just hoping to have two hives at the end of the season, if it ever starts here.
I am sure we will eventually get some good weather.
The colony I split was chosen because the bees are lovely to work with and the queen is prolific and they also made honey. So I thought about it all winter and made my plans.....although as with all livestock....plans and outcomes can differ!
I fed the colony ...which was in a 14x12 jumbo brood box...as soon as the queen started to lay eggs. A second national, brood box was added. Once I had comb and enough brood...then I started by grafting some larvae....which was a dismal failure....Ha Ha....bees know best.
I have learnt a lot this year so far. Lots of people on the forum have helped with advice and ideas.
I stood in my Bee Yard today watching the bees...a constant stream of them flying out across the fields and returning laden....the wind blowing them a little off course as they slowed prior to landing. We have given the nucs a slate landing platform..to help a bit.
I am hoping that when I next go into the hives that the new queens are laying a good pattern. Most of the hives now have new queens ...except for my two original hives...they still have their old queens....good for another year I hope.
midnight sun
Field Bee
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Wow! You've been busy. I have been following this thread, I'm just hoping to have two hives at the end of the season, if it ever starts here.
It is doing, on Tuesday....unfortunately it finishes again on Wednesday according to the forecast! Lets hope it's wrong. The North West....don't you just love it?
