It couldn't have gone better :)

[kazmcc]

I've just got back from inspecting the hive. It's the first full inspection I've done since I had a peep to see if Madge was laying yet. As I pulled the third brood frame, I was met with the most amazing sight. The biggest patch of beautifully even, capped brood. No patches, no peppering, no drone mixed in it, just the most even worker brood I've ever seen. The next frame, the same, the next frame, a smallish patch of about 25 drone brood in the bottom right corner. then came the frames of half brood half grubs, then the frame of new eggs.

In the shallow super, that was completely capped last week, they have begun making room for her and she's laying as they go.

Temperament, very good. Bit gluey, but nothing I can't handle. The whole requeening process couldn't have gone better in my eyes.

Lots of stores in the brood still but the new super has been drawn fast. So, now what? Do I just inspect once a week, looking for brood, grubs, eggs and stores? Now I have to think about marking her

 

[Ellem]

Congratulations Kaz

Really pleased for you

 

[kazmcc]

Thank you Ellem. It's done wonders for my confidence

 

[freethorpe bees]

Well done Kaz, isn't it a great feeling!

 

[kazmcc]

Well done Kaz, isn't it a great feeling!

It is, it is

That was the best inspection I've experienced so far. Everything was perfect, and the kids didn't scream for me from the playground nearby lol. They just let me enjoy the bees.

I was a bit concerned before I went in, as they have been a bit pingy lately and it's a huge colony, despite having been Q- for a while. Once in there, it was plain sailing

 

[Headnavigator]

All credit to you, Kaz, you and the bees have achieved this between you.
I take my hat off to you!

 

[Black Comb]

Yes it's a great feeling Kaz when it all goes to plan.
I would mark her but others will differ.

 

[kazmcc]

Thanks guys. If it was my own colony I wouldn't mark her, but as I will be taking inexperienced people in there I think I should mark her, that way I can keep her well out of the way of getting squished from heavy handedness. Mentor said he'd help me, but I'm still waiting on when. It's the school hols now anyway, so she'll be fine for a while.

Her brood is perfect you know. I've seen lots of pictures online, but never seen anything as even. Not a single uncapped cell among it. I had a good feeling about her though when I saw her eggs and how evenly she had laid. A good girl for a beginner

 

[TJSnapper]

Sounds like she is a natural ;P great news Kaz, it's a great lift to the spirits when these things work

 

[Midland Beek]

Now I have to think about marking her

I had a new queen mate and come into lay about a month ago. Checked the cappings at the earliest opportunity, and because all was okay (not a drone layer) I marked the queen. Only ... bad idea. Workers obviously didn't like my cack-handed attempt at marking her and no queen to be seen at next inspection.

And the moral of this story ... maybe do not mark the new queen until she is surrounded by 100% her own offspring, ie. adult bees that came from her eggs. Meaning ... do not mark with a load of old bees in the hive that have lived under another queen.

 

[kazmcc]

I had a new queen mate and come into lay about a month ago. Checked the cappings at the earliest opportunity, and because all was okay (not a drone layer) I marked the queen. Only ... bad idea. Workers obviously didn't like my cack-handed attempt at marking her and no queen to be seen at next inspection.

And the moral of this story ... maybe do not mark the new queen until she is surrounded by 100% her own offspring, ie. adult bees that came from her eggs. Meaning ... do not mark with a load of old bees in the hive that have lived under another queen.

Thanks for the advice. Makes sense, and I would hate to lose her. I might leave her a bit. It's the school hols anyway so I'm the only person who will be going near them.

Come the end of August, they will all be her own and she'll be an old hand. We'll do it then I reckon