How to minimise chances of queen loss when inspecting double brood?

[ksjs]

OK, maybe a really stupid question but I've looked on here and found nothing and don't think I saw anything in books I've read. My question is based on what I assume is a different inspection regime from when you have single brood i.e.

- remove top box, examine lower frames
- replace top box, examine its frames

This creates much more potential for killing / losing the queen as she might wander off from top box when it's sat to one side. Any tips for minimising the potential negatives here? Thanks.

 

[MJBee]

I have a few colonies on double brood and the sequence I use is:-
Roof off and upside down along side the hive.
Solid crown board off, put to one side.
Super(s) off, placed diagonally on roof.
Queen excluder off, check queen is not on under side, place on top of super(s).
Top brood box off , place on top of Q excluder. Place crown board on top. The queen is therefore contained between Qx and Cb.
Examine bottom brood then replace top brood and inspect that.

Works for me.

 

[oliver90owner]

Here's a solution.

Stand the top box on a closed floor and cover with a spare crownboard while dealing with the other box. How's that for a simple solution?

Remember that queens like to hide in darker places (so lnot so likely to go for a walk in the sunshine), and bees tend to move upwards. If the 'worst' happens are you prepared for that? Boy scout motto is appropriate to beekeeping.

'Potential' means it has not happened yet. Just take appropriate precautions to prevent it happening. Think before carrying out any manipulation and stop worrying so much.

Your best solution is to run two hives at least - the worry level can immediately fall by 50% or more.

RAB

 

[oliver90owner]

Top brood box off , place on top of Q excluder.

OK for bottom bee space. Most hives in the world are top bee space.

RAB

 

[ksjs]

Here's a solution.

Stand the top box on a closed floor and cover with a spare crownboard while dealing with the other box. How's that for a simple solution?

Remember that queens like to hide in darker places (so lnot so likely to go for a walk in the sunshine), and bees tend to move upwards. If the 'worst' happens are you prepared for that? Boy scout motto is appropriate to beekeeping.

'Potential' means it has not happened yet. Just take appropriate precautions to prevent it happening. Think before carrying out any manipulation and stop worrying so much.

Your best solution is to run two hives at least - the worry level can immediately fall by 50% or more.

RAB

Thanks people - obvious when you think about it i.e. just have a 'floor' then QE on top for the removed BB.

My aim is 2 hives but right now I'm dealing with an expanding colony who won't touch a super so space beneath is next option. Hoping to split / increase ASAP.

 

[fiftyjon]

Thanks people - obvious when you think about it i.e. just have a 'floor' then QE on top for the removed BB.

My aim is 2 hives but right now I'm dealing with an expanding colony who won't touch a super so space beneath is next option. Hoping to split / increase ASAP.

Most of my colonies are double brood, when I inspect I smoke the colony and then wait a few minutes. The boxes are split and arranged as MJBee and RAB have suggested. I inspect the bottom box first and then inspect the top box before placing it back on the bottom box, a high proportion of the time the queen will be found in the top box.

If I'm after finding the queen quickly then I will look into the top box first as she is most likely to be there. Placing the top box on the bottom box before inspecting it will likely send the queen down to the darker areas in the bottom box.

Or course this is just IMHO and experience.

 

[RoofTops]

I go through the top box first without moving it although if I have to be sure of finding the queen then I split them as others have described but in most inspections providing I find eggs in the top box then I know the queen should be fine. I then tilt the top box up and check for any swarm cells - these are usually fairly obvious. Most times I won't check the bottom box unless I find queen cells in the top box.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Have a nuc handy. if you see the queen on a frame (where she should be!) simply lift the frame out and put it in the nuc. She will be safe in there on her frame until you have done your inspections. The frame can be put back where you found her and she'll hardly know..

 

[Finman]

.
I have nursed 2 and 3 brood boxes 50 years and I have not killed queens for that.

What are you inspecting the main happenings exist in upper brood box. Very seldom you need to look lover box brood frames.

- if the hive have queen cells, they are seen in upper BB IF THEY ARE.
- if hive has diseases, they are seen in upper box if they are

you need allways be carefull, with fat queen.

When you open the hive, you see a dence area of bees there. The queen is there inside
then you loosen a frame far from that point and take one frame off. Then you look frames and go towards the queen. Then if frammes seems tight and you are afraid to squueze the queen lift it to the frames what you allready inspected
.
When you inpect hives, you need not to see the queen.
The hive catch cold if you wantto see everything.

For example it is needless NOW to inspect how old frames are. They have too much pollen to take off.
In the middle of summer there are better opprtunities to do that

.


.

 

[Finman]

Most of my colonies are double brood, when I inspect I smoke the colony and then wait a few minutes.


*** I keep calm bees and when I open the cover, I do not smokethem.
If they are going to attack, I give a faint smoke.

***The old fashion to smoke and wait tells that bees are agressive.


The boxes are split and arranged as MJBee and RAB have suggested. I inspect the bottom box first and then inspect the top box before placing it back on the bottom box, a high proportion of the time the queen will be found in the top box.

*** I avoid open the bottom box because there those angry old foragers. You make only troubles when you lift the upper broof off. There are nothing to be seen in lower box. No added value of information.


If I'm after finding the queen quickly then I will look into the top box first as she is most likely to be there.

*** Like said, I do not hunt the queen. According larvae I knotthat it istere
if you smoke first the hive, the queen become nervous and try to hidden.