I'm thinking my combine went ok, but .....

[alynewbee]

Hi All,

I think what I saw at today's inspection is probably ok, but I'd really appreciated the opinion of experience please.

It's 8 Days since I did a newspaper combine. They'd chomped through all the paper and no pile of dead bees around so think that bit went okl. The top brood box (which was the one I rendered queenless) had brood in all stages and lots of eggs, but I didn't see the queen up there. There were lots of empty queen cups. In the bottom box I didn't see any eggs or small larvae, but spotted one or two quite large larvae, and also, no queen. As I didn't see the queen I have taken a leap of faith that she is in the top box so I have put an QE between the two brood boxes. My reasoning in doing that is a) I've got a 50/50 chance of her being in the top box so all will be well (and also I only saw eggs in the top box) and b) if she isn't up there, I'll know at the next inspection cos I'll see eggs below and I'll have to cross that bridge at the next inspection. Reason it's important that she goes into a particular box is that I've got a 14 x 12 on the top and a national on the bottom and I really want to end up with just my 14 x 12.

I was a bit puzzled to see so many empty queen cups in the top box, but my thinking is that I made them queenless for a day or so till the new queen chewed through the paper so I suppose they would do that.

Is anyone horrified that I've bunged on a QE without being sure of where the queen is?

I'd really appreciate advice.

Many thanks

Alyson

 

[Tom Bick]

After 8 days and you have spotted eggs then yes it has been a success. Also the queen excluder will be a good way to narrow down the location of the queen.

Given your description it’s a fair bet she is in the top box but as things often go she just may have popped down to look at the bottom box just as you placed the queen excluder on but four days will confirm one way or the other.

 

[enrico]

Not at all horrified. You have done it for a valid reason and will soon see which box she is in . I don't know if this is your first year of beekeeping but well done for using common sense I say!
Once you know which box she is in you stand more chance of finding her and can put her in the 14 x 12. Good luck to you
E

 

[alynewbee]

Thank you Enrico, much appreciated, and yes, it is my first year as a beek. Certainly couldn't have done it without the help of this forum though.

Alyson

 

[Erichalfbee]

Same thing happened to me.
Next time I re-organised the boxes as soon as I saw a goodly amount of newspaper on the floor, ie three days
A good way to avoid it is to use a queen excluder to hold down the newspaper.

 

[oliver90owner]

No problem with the queen excluder - just don't leave it on too long if you still have lots of drones.

I would gently re organise, with the 14 x 12 on the floor, If she is in the other box, check each frame for her and shake the bees into the bottom box. If you find her, suspend the search operation as soon as she is in the bottom box; shake the rest of the bees into the bottom box (if there are a lot of drones and you don't want them trapped in the top box).

Replace the Q/E and wait three weeks (or less if there is only open brood in the top box and less still if all capped). Recovering any stores from the top box could be left for the bees after any varroa treatment, or extract and feed back. There are nearly always options.

Regards, RAB

 

[alynewbee]

Thanks RAB, that's really helpful but I think I now have a problem. I do have quite a few drones still - although their numbers are dwindling now. I'm going on holiday on Friday for a week so it will be nine days till I can get to the bees. Is that going to be a major problem? I was hoping I could just leave them alone till a week Friday (although more likely it'll be Saturday).

Best regards

Alyson

 

[oliver90owner]

The drone preservation society or the prevention of cruelty to drones mob might not agree, but I would not worry unduly. You may find a few on the excluder. I only mentioned it because it is a consideration if there are lots of them trapped.

Enjoy your holiday.

Regards, RAB

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

and their life expectancy is pretty poor now anyway