Hi and Increasing Hive Numbers

[furrybean]

Hi all.
Ive been a member of other bee forums a while ago but have just joined here so howdy, Im from the High Peak Derbys and have a single colony.
Ive had bees off and on for 15 years and the current colony have been with me for 3 years after a bait hive attracted a swarm.

This colony have been the most productive and well mannered so I was wanting to may a split this year. They are currently on a single BB national and two supers. I have a second BB with drawn foundation and was planning on letting them settle down on double BB. Currently there doesnt seem to be a huge amount of sealed brood but they are seeming strong.

Would it be feasable to let them establish on double BB then move the top queenless BB ablove the supers to create QC and do a split that way? I dont want to end up with two stunted colonies.

Advise is gratefully recieved

Many thanks

 

[susbees]

Hi and welcome.

It's about three weeks til peak brood size for the year...so if they are happy on a single brood are they likely to expand to two in that time?

 

[furrybean]

Thank you for the welcome
May I have missed the boat on extending them to double BB?
I dont like the idea of a queenless split.

 

[Luminos]

Welcome to the forum furrybean

 

[furrybean]

Welcome to the forum furrybean

Many thanks.

 

[Poly Hive]

Why not take of a nuc of say two brood frames and a stores comb and give your main unit three of foundation in replacement and let them raise a queen for you?

PH

 

[furrybean]

Thank you,
I was always under the impression that queenless splits result in weaker queens?

 

[Swarm]

It's what most think but no real proof, some 'scrub' queens go on to head large productive colonies. If the resultant emergency queen proves inadequate, they may supersede, which is good or if all fails reuniting is still an option.

 

[tonybloke]

welcome to the forum
you could always wait for the bees to make queen cells, and then perform an A/S and also create a spare nuc, giving you more options.

 

[oliver90owner]

Welcome to the forum.

You are correct re emergency queens; they might be inferior, or are 'more likely' to be so.

With another box you would likely get a better queen by splitting the brood with the supers and waiting for them to draw queen cells in the top box (with no queen), and then splitting off a couple or three frames. Far better than hoping for a scrub queen to be good, or waiting for it to be superceded later, IMO.

RAB

 

[furrybean]

Welcome to the forum.

You are correct re emergency queens; they might be inferior, or are 'more likely' to be so.

With another box you would likely get a better queen by splitting the brood with the supers and waiting for them to draw queen cells in the top box (with no queen), and then splitting off a couple or three frames. Far better than hoping for a scrub queen to be good, or waiting for it to be superceded later, IMO.

RAB

This was my plan a, but as previously stated would they expand to double that quickly?
Up in the hills I think we are a few weeks behind the warmer parts so that may be to my advantage perhaps??

 

[oliver90owner]

No, I was not suggesting you go to double brood at all.

I was suggesting you split your brood (with some eggs and young larvae, into a box on top of the supers - packing it out with something would be fine). A demaree type operation. Done now, you should get a split which develops into a strong enough colony before the wasps become a nuisance.

RAB

 

[Swarm]

Welcome to the forum.

You are correct re emergency queens; they might be inferior, or are 'more likely' to be so.

With another box you would likely get a better queen by splitting the brood with the supers and waiting for them to draw queen cells in the top box (with no queen), and then splitting off a couple or three frames. Far better than hoping for a scrub queen to be good, or waiting for it to be superceded later, IMO.

RAB

Within just one post, not bad!! Predictable though and funny too in a sad way.

 

[Skyhook]

Within just one post, not bad!! Predictable though and funny too in a sad way.

Sorry?

.