Is it safe to let them seal cells in the top Demaree box?

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I am grafting queens using the top box of my Demaree'd strongest colony as a Q- cell raiser. I grafted on Sunday so they will seal on Thursday or Friday.

This colony MUST NOT SWARM. I mean, more than usual "must not swarm". It really cannot. Do I run any risk of a swarm if I leave the cells until I can get them out at the weekend or should I pop a split board in tonight (last opportunity until the weekend)?

 

[B+.]

I grafted on Sunday so they will seal on Thursday or Friday.

Assuming that there were no cells that had already been started, the grafts were of the correct age and were not damaged, you should come back to sealed cells at the weekend.

 

[Eyeman]

I am grafting queens using the top box of my Demaree'd strongest colony as a Q- cell raiser. I grafted on Sunday so they will seal on Thursday or Friday.

Not used the top box as a Q+ (I would call it a Q+ as there is a QE between Q and top box) cell raiser. But sounds like a good idea.
I've been using:
Rearing queen honey bees in a queen right colony
by DAVID WILKINSON and MIKE A. BROWN Central Science Laboratory Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, UK.

The technique is basically the same.
He does mention that the bottom box can occasionally swarm.

 

[masterBK]

For piece of mind clip the queens wings.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

For piece of mind clip the queens wings.

Thanks all. The problem is that it is the queen that I want to keep, as much as the bees: I am breeding from her and plan to next year as well.

I think I'll slip a board in there. Should not affect nutrition of larvae too much over last 2 days unsealed I hope.


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[YorkshireBees]

Due to work commitments I ended up with sealed QC's about to emerge in my top box last week. They were literally emerging as I did the inspection. Ended up with some nice spare virgin queens to introduce to any colony I had that was Q-

ps. The main colony had not swarmed and the original marker queen was laying away like a good one!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I am grafting queens using the top box of my Demaree'd strongest colony as a Q- cell raiser. I grafted on Sunday so they will seal on Thursday or Friday.

This colony MUST NOT SWARM. I mean, more than usual "must not swarm". It really cannot. Do I run any risk of a swarm if I leave the cells until I can get them out at the weekend or should I pop a split board in tonight (last opportunity until the weekend)?

I have all my hives on Demarree, if I'm raising QC's for nucs etc. I wouldn't think of taking them out before they are sealed. I've often been forced due to outside influences to leave them in the top box way after day eight - haven't had one swarm yet and don't clip the queen as it serves no purpose in this instance.

 

[beeno]

Not used the top box as a Q+ (I would call it a Q+ as there is a QE between Q and top box) cell raiser. But sounds like a good idea.
I've been using:
Rearing queen honey bees in a queen right colony
by DAVID WILKINSON and MIKE A. BROWN Central Science Laboratory Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, UK.

The technique is basically the same.
He does mention that the bottom box can occasionally swarm.

So, that's a no then TTLTB.

 

[Eyeman]

I've often been forced due to outside influences to leave them in the top box way after day eight - haven't had one swarm yet

My Demaree queen rearing plan fits in with my weekly inspections and is:
1. Move new frames of brood from bottom to top box
2. Inspect 7 days later and remove sealed QC's (these QC's will have only recently been capped and I find are very soft and difficult to remove and dont always do well when put into a mating nuc)but leave unsealed ones.
3. Re inspect 7 days later and harvest QC's. These QC's will likely be only a couple of days off emerging.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I am sure they'd be OK but equally I am not sure of anything after Friday so to be on the safe side I slipped in a split board. Six (out of eight) beautiful cells in development: although a bit more drawn after 2 days than I would like: I swear they were young larvae :- )