iball
House Bee
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2010
- Messages
- 335
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Mossley, Lancs.
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 6
Okay I don't, but it would be helpful if I did! I hived the nuc 17 days ago and having fed them they've drawn 5 full frames and there's 6 frames of brood from egg to capped brood so I'm confident that we're queen right.
I've put a super on with foundation and left the QE off to encourage them to go up. I'll add the QE once the majority of super frames have been drawn, hoping that her ladyship is down below unless I can put her there myself.
I'm now concerned that if I have to perform some sort of swarm management of the next few weeks this is going to be difficult if I can't locate her, so what are your top tips to finding an elusive unmarked queen?
I'm thinking a warm afternoon, the hive is going to be open for a while so should I cover with cloths to keep warm and dark?
Minimal of smoke, so that I don't spook her.
Patience and my best queen finding eyes selected.
Cheers
Ian
I've put a super on with foundation and left the QE off to encourage them to go up. I'll add the QE once the majority of super frames have been drawn, hoping that her ladyship is down below unless I can put her there myself.
I'm now concerned that if I have to perform some sort of swarm management of the next few weeks this is going to be difficult if I can't locate her, so what are your top tips to finding an elusive unmarked queen?
I'm thinking a warm afternoon, the hive is going to be open for a while so should I cover with cloths to keep warm and dark?
Minimal of smoke, so that I don't spook her.
Patience and my best queen finding eyes selected.
Cheers
Ian