Increases

[butchtaylor909]

been hiding on the forums for a while but finally decided i needed to post.

I made a few 6 frame nucs up a while back and managed them well (for my first attempt). They have raised their own queens and have now a queen that i have seen running round on each nuc which are probably a week or two old.
my only concern is that i have not seen any eggs. how long should i leave them for before i consider getting rid of the queens and adding another frame of eggs/larvae

 

[butchtaylor909]

I am hoping that if this increase goes well to look into further increases during the season and possibly to start trying to raise my own queens form now on to try and save a few quid each time i re-queen. Not had much luck in the past with re-queening acceptance rates or trying to get them to supersede.

 

[Antipodes]

Hi and Welcome,

I'm not entirely sure but what I do know is that it always seems to take longer than it says on the internet and my patience is often tested.

 

[Millet]

It can take up to five weeks for the Queen to get mated and laying..this is where patience is needed and don't open up in peak flying times in good weather..that is when the Queen could be out on a mating flight..

 

[enrico]

Exact dates helps in a question like this but ....... Dependant on weather, drones, etc. Six weeks isn't unknown. And then it takes a while for her to get going properly.
Welcome by the way!!!!
E

 

[Millet]

Exact dates helps in a question like this but ....... Dependant on weather, drones, etc. Six weeks isn't unknown. And then it takes a while for her to get going properly.
Welcome by the way!!!!
E

After having three laying worker colonies i tend to get a bit anxious after five weeks..the Swallow population is rock bottom these days which is apparently down to them getting trapped in there millions in huge mist nets for food in Egypt and Lebanon..
Through this sad fact i can relax a little with virgins returning from mating flights..

 

[thedozzer]

We are in same situation as we have three colonies new queen no eggs, there is a general consensus that it can take up to 5-6 weeks weather depending. Im having to sit on my hands to stop me interfering.

If it does take this long is there a chance the colony could dwindle because of older bees dying off before new ones hatch, or should you supplement frames of caped brood from other colonies?

 

[linoleum bonypart]

You really think Queens are mating in the weather we've been having...

 

[masterBK]

I find that during decent weather most of my queens in Apideas are laying within 2 weeks of emergence from the Q cell (apart from the few that never come back!). Most are actually laying by 10th or 11th day and the earliest I have ever had was laying after 7 days. However during spells of bad weather you can expect mating and laying to be delayed by a week or so until the weather improves. In my current queen rearing programme queens won't be emerging from their cells until 18th May and hope the weather Ok for several days during the following week. At least the colonies aren't throwing the drones out during this current cold spell (unlike May 2012 when drones and drone larvae were ejected in mass from many colonies and many queens didn't get mated properly)

 

[butchtaylor909]

Six weeks isn't unknown. And then it takes a while for her to get going properly.
Welcome by the way!!!!
E

Fantastic to know that upto 6 weeks is not unknown

Im having to sit on my hands to stop me interfering.

If it does take this long is there a chance the colony could dwindle because of older bees dying off before new ones hatch, or should you supplement frames of caped brood from other colonies?

yeah that's me too. to stop myself getting involved i started making space in my garage for a saw table. Going to see if i can start making boxes etc. myself.
I was concerned also about when i should consider adding more frames of brood or eggs.

 

[enrico]

Fantastic to know that upto 6 weeks is not unknown



yeah that's me too. to stop myself getting involved i started making space in my garage for a saw table. Going to see if i can start making boxes etc. myself.
I was concerned also about when i should consider adding more frames of brood or eggs.

When they start using all of the others! They won't use them any faster just because they are there! But.......they do need some spare room. It is all a question of what your bees need at a given time depending on brood and nectar flow.
E

 

[Gilberdyke John]

After having three laying worker colonies i tend to get a bit anxious after five weeks..the Swallow population is rock bottom these days which is apparently down to them getting trapped in there millions in huge mist nets for food in Egypt and Lebanon..
Through this sad fact i can relax a little with virgins returning from mating flights..

Good grief, have you ever picked up a swallow? There's nothing to them so how they earn a place as food is beyond me

 

[Millet]

Good grief, have you ever picked up a swallow? There's nothing to them so how they earn a place as food is beyond me

I know John there is very little weight to them but they are apparently getting trapped in there millions..i know it is slightly of topic but it is bee related as far as successful mating flights are concerned for me...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6993621/Where-swallows-gone.html

 

[butchtaylor909]

They won't use them any faster just because they are there!
E

i think you misunderstood me. i didn't say i was going to make more boxes of immediate use.
i want to clear space for a saw table to look at making my own in the future as a bit of a woodworking hobby, as opposed to keep buying "kits".

 

[butchtaylor909]

oh and incidentally as someone mentioned needing exact dates, one of my other nucs the queen hatched last night. i know i went in too frequently but as i used a frame of eggs and larvae i was not sure which one they would pick. would people recommend including them on my weekly inspection regime or leave them alone now for 4 weeks before opening it up again?

Its better than when i started 2 years ago. i wanted to see what they were up to constantly even considered building an observation hive into my study wall so i could watch them all the time. in fact i still am