I was wondering - those with two/three hives, do you split or just demaree?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Did anyone manage to Demeree this Spring?

I never start until about now

 

[polymath]

Did anyone manage to Demeree this Spring? I didn't have the opportunity. It went from too cold for the brood not to chill in a demeree to then hot and swarmy and needing artificial swarms. I guess I could have caught them for a demeree when the weather improved but it was difficult to tell if the weather would be consistently warm enough

Okay so 9 hives demareed, only 1 mated top box. Of circa 10+ mating nucs put out 5 mated, so i have now taken the 5 mating Nucs and am merging them into the top boxes to give six two queen hives hopefully, rest will run as single queen hives.

 

[Redcap]

I inspected two of my colonies yesterday. Both looking great, bias, bees covering 10 frames.
Each colony has a super on with a mixture of drawn comb/foundation but nothing being stored. In each super there was a handful of bees and some of the foundation is being worked on.
So far, no attempts to make any queen cells/play cells, so is Demaree the way to go, or should I split one, both or either....or do one of each !? I feel the do nothing option....is not an option ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

How many frames full of brood? How old are the queens? Is there a flow on?

 

[Redcap]

How many frames full of brood? How old are the queens? Is there a flow on?

Full brood, probably about 6 frames in all on one. Queens...in one, quite slim looking, reasonably sure she's last years (from a split). Didn't see the other queen, but a stronger colony, so maybe a tad more brood. They came from a small swarm from last year. No flow on atm.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You wouldn't even consider Demaree until there was seven frames full of brood
There also seems to be a growing mindset nowadays of taking action way before there is a need to.
Split when you find QCs, Demaree when the hive is packed and you fear they are on the track to making swarm preparations.
It's the trick of reading the bees and taking the appropriate actions

 

[Redcap]

You wouldn't even consider Demaree until there was seven frames full of brood
There also seems to be a growing mindset nowadays of taking action way before there is a need to.
Split when you find QCs, Demaree when the hive is packed and you fear they are on the track to making swarm preparations.
It's the trick of reading the bees and taking the appropriate actions

Thanks...I guess Im trying to not get caught out. I've read on here about doing Demaree in good time, so was thinking that might be about now, given no obvious signs of swarm prep. Like you say, it's about the trick of reading the bees, something I've yet to master. At least seven full frames, think they can't be far off that, so I'm nearly there then.

 

[Swarm]

Sounds to me that you won't need to consider it.

 

[Superlativesoul]

Did anyone manage to Demeree this Spring? I didn't have the opportunity. It went from too cold for the brood not to chill in a demeree to then hot and swarmy and needing artificial swarms. I guess I could have caught them for a demeree when the weather improved but it was difficult to tell if the weather would be consistently warm enough

I followed JBM's method of swarm control ,and it worked very well .No swarming but the colony got very big ,neighbour complained a couple of times as they were stung .I immediately removed them that evening /morning 84 stings later to their new apairy 12 miles away .The stings were my fault as it was warm i only wore my half suit so got stung all around the top of my legs and buttocks . Was undecided as too requeen but the colony has calmed down a lot so will monitor .So I will continue to use JBM method but not in the urban environment, the bees are on 6 acre fields now and no neighbours to complain .I received a letter from the Environmental office of my local council ,quoting Environment protection act of 1990 ,because of bee nuisance. Then asking if I'm selling honey I need to be registered with them ,I shall reply to them as they insist I do it sooner rather than later ,I presume that they want to see my garden ,I only have 1 hive now very calm bees .I have not had a honey harvest so far ,so cannot distribute what I do not have ,bee interesting how it pans out .
John

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've read on here about doing Demaree in good time, so was thinking that might be about now

it's about the time I start doing them - just did one this morning, a yellow queen on nine frames of brood.
did the first ones just over a week ago

 

[drex]

I did one about a month ago. Double brood absolutely bursting with 3 supers on. I harvested 3 queen cells from top box, into nucs, and yesterday I saw a virgin in one. Considering doing one on another colony next weekend.

 

[Erichalfbee]

it's about the time I start doing them

Yes I should do these. No swarm preps as yet but heavens! I’ve never seen so many bees in a brood box.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes I should do these. No swarm preps as yet but heavens! I’ve never seen so many bees in a brood box.

got a few like that - and not on second season queens either, just have to run up the range tomorrow to Demaree a red queen tomorrow as she's started on the tenth frame and I was clean out of kit to do it yesterday, just Demareed a yellow queen at the home apiary this morning, on 7-8 frames last week, by this week she had filled frame number 10

 

[Vanterrier]

Yes I should do these. No swarm preps as yet but heavens! I’ve never seen so many bees in a brood box.

Yes my hive was like that today just 6 weeks since I made a Nuc from it.
I found two nice looking sealed QC's and began to panic when I could not find the red queen despite going through frames carefully twice. There were some very young larvae present but I could not see eggs ( lampoil problem) What to do???
I squished the lesser QC and made another Nuc with the better QC on a frame of capped brood along with a good frame of nectar, three foundation and two good shakes of bees. Fingers crossed I've done the right thing. I'm still hoping I missed the Q so will go back in for another look in a couple of days.
If I find the red queen, do I re-unite or leave the nuc to see how it goes?
The first Nuc BTW has been hived up and has a partially filled super but I think the flow has stopped this week?
K

 

[Sutty]

If you find the red queen I would knock back the likely more QCs they will have made, transfer her to the nuc, and move the QC in the nuc back to the hive. Check the QC is still there first though!! If not then leave a nice single QC.
If they haven't made QCs and you find the red queen you could swap their positions and you will have done an a/s (again assuming QC still present).

 

[Do224]

got a few like that - and not on second season queens either, just have to run up the range tomorrow to Demaree a red queen tomorrow as she's started on the tenth frame and I was clean out of kit to do it yesterday, just Demareed a yellow queen at the home apiary this morning, on 7-8 frames last week, by this week she had filled frame number 10

Do you usually find they’re filling supers by the time they’re on 7-9 frames of brood? I’ve got a colony with some brood on all 11 frames (the frames are by no means full of brood, but there is some on every frame….been that way for a couple of weeks), but they still haven’t touched the super.

I’m considering whether I should demaree them, although there isn’t really a flow on right now as the bramble hasn’t started yet. But if I leave them I guess they might swarm. I might compromise and go double brood. They have quite a bit of chalk brood so I was thinking I could squash the queen and unite with a nuc I have.

 

[Vanterrier]

If you find the red queen I would knock back the likely more QCs they will have made, transfer her to the nuc, and move the QC in the nuc back to the hive. Check the QC is still there first though!! If not then leave a nice single QC.
If they haven't made QCs and you find the red queen you could swap their positions and you will have done an a/s (again assuming QC still present).

This morning I looked in the Nuc and was surprised to see eggs! Further searching found the Red Queen and the lovely QC I had transferred was torn from top to bottom and obviously empty...
I left the Red Q in the Nuc which I think you were advising?
The main hive I took her from (unknowingly) will be Q- now but presumably will create a new Q from what was there? Is that OK or should I return the Red Q to a new BB and Demaree the old box above? Have I missed the boat for a Demaree?
Please advise
Thanks
K

 

[Sutty]

I've not used demarees, but think you're past that now.
Effectively you have nuced the queen by accident.
Now you need to look through the parent hive, pick the best queen cell and remove all the rest. Then leave them to it for a few weeks before checking for eggs/brood.

 

[Vanterrier]

Thanks Sutty, yes I will do the check tomorrow, I was interrupted today by a huge deluge so didn't want to open that hive, but will do as you say.
Thanks again
K

Ps just before you replied I copied this discussion of ours onto its own thread but as I have your advice now I'll remove that post

 

[Sutty]

Incidentally I examined a hive today where I nuced the queen 5 weeks ago. I added a test frame and a swarm cell a week ago, (from 2 other hives), as seemed queenless. Much better behaved today and no EQCs on the test frame, and no sign of the QC. I didn't examine all of the top brood chamber (& none of the lower) but I reckon there is a queen in there - I'll check properly in another week.
Gives an idea how long you need to wait for evidence of a queen!