It's been a Carp year for me

[Bryang]

I went into winter last year with 2 very strong hives and 2 "medium" sized.. Came out of winter with one strong hive, the other strong hive had tried to supercede, but the new Q had not mated ( she was running about in the hive), this hive died out. Hive 3 had no Q and hive 4 Q was present but was not laying much.. turned out the hive had chalk brood.. Graham (Anduril) came up and we did a split on H1 and I ordered a new Q, introduced he to the split, and released her after 7 days, checked the hive 7 days later, could see she was laying. 2 weeks later checked the hive, no Q, found 3 Q cells, left them to do their thing. H3 (chalk brood) collapsed. Ordered 2 Qs and received them 20th June, introduced them into nucs.. One is still with us, the other dissapeared.... July 6th ordered another Q (different source), she lasted less than 3 weeks... July 12th received another Q from same source as the last one. introduced her under a "Nicot introduction cage". I had put some varroa mesh the other side of the cage to stop them releasing her to quickly. Every thing looked good so I released her 7 days later. Left them to settle.
By know I was getting a bit rattled, so I ordered a nuc from the same source as the 2 previuos Qs. We picked it up on Wednesday 3rd of August in a Maisemore nuc box ( 2.5 hr journey). Fed it with 1/1 syrup and released them at 7.30 am next morning.. Left them for 7 days, opened them up to check them.... found 5 sealed Q cells, no eggs and no unsealed brood cells. The seller sent a replacement Q, introduced under Nicot cage with mesh behind it. Checked 7 days later, they had released her and left them to it. Checked the July 12th nuc on August 28, drone layer.. Checked the August 3rd nuc today, no eggs/larva, no sign of Q.. As I wrote in the title... I should have gone fishing for carp.

 

[Goran]

I went into winter last year with 2 very strong hives and 2 "medium" sized.. Came out of winter with one strong hive, the other strong hive had tried to supercede, but the new Q had not mated ( she was running about in the hive), this hive died out. Hive 3 had no Q and hive 4 Q was present but was not laying much.. turned out the hive had chalk brood.. Graham (Anduril) came up and we did a split on H1 and I ordered a new Q, introduced he to the split, and released her after 7 days, checked the hive 7 days later, could see she was laying. 2 weeks later checked the hive, no Q, found 3 Q cells, left them to do their thing. H3 (chalk brood) collapsed. Ordered 2 Qs and received them 20th June, introduced them into nucs.. One is still with us, the other dissapeared.... July 6th ordered another Q (different source), she lasted less than 3 weeks... July 12th received another Q from same source as the last one. introduced her under a "Nicot introduction cage". I had put some varroa mesh the other side of the cage to stop them releasing her to quickly. Every thing looked good so I released her 7 days later. Left them to settle.
By know I was getting a bit rattled, so I ordered a nuc from the same source as the 2 previuos Qs. We picked it up on Wednesday 3rd of August in a Maisemore nuc box ( 2.5 hr journey). Fed it with 1/1 syrup and released them at 7.30 am next morning.. Left them for 7 days, opened them up to check them.... found 5 sealed Q cells, no eggs and no unsealed brood cells. The seller sent a replacement Q, introduced under Nicot cage with mesh behind it. Checked 7 days later, they had released her and left them to it. Checked the July 12th nuc on August 28, drone layer.. Checked the August 3rd nuc today, no eggs/larva, no sign of Q.. As I wrote in the title... I should have gone fishing for carp.

Through my own experience and experience exchanged from other beeks, I realized if I don't take a bite into qrearing I would be fast out of beekeeping.. Let me simplify if I am telling confusingly - the best queens for You are reared by Bryang.
Same as for me since I read a lot, talk a lot, practice a lot I don't buy queens. Maybe few or none exchange for decade now..
Luckily at beginning of beekeeping I got some tragicomic cases of bought queens ( chalk, size of ordinary bee, yellow as ligustica, laying only half of a frame, aggressive, swarmy - even swarm wanted to swarm again). So I realized even average queen I reared are better than vast majority of bought. So each fail of queen mostly mean that I lost yield from that hive. So for two seasons now I don't have any case of chalk brood and that must mean something I do good.. The yield of honey is decent ( lack of space and empty barrels are nice to have)..
The winter is coming, right time to make time for preparations for next season.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I went into winter last year with 2 very strong hives and 2 "medium" sized.. Came out of winter with one strong hive, the other strong hive had tried to supercede, but the new Q had not mated ( she was running about in the hive), this hive died out. Hive 3 had no Q and hive 4 Q was present but was not laying much.. turned out the hive had chalk brood.. Graham (Anduril) came up and we did a split on H1 and I ordered a new Q, introduced he to the split, and released her after 7 days, checked the hive 7 days later, could see she was laying. 2 weeks later checked the hive, no Q, found 3 Q cells, left them to do their thing. H3 (chalk brood) collapsed. Ordered 2 Qs and received them 20th June, introduced them into nucs.. One is still with us, the other dissapeared.... July 6th ordered another Q (different source), she lasted less than 3 weeks... July 12th received another Q from same source as the last one. introduced her under a "Nicot introduction cage". I had put some varroa mesh the other side of the cage to stop them releasing her to quickly. Every thing looked good so I released her 7 days later. Left them to settle.
By know I was getting a bit rattled, so I ordered a nuc from the same source as the 2 previuos Qs. We picked it up on Wednesday 3rd of August in a Maisemore nuc box ( 2.5 hr journey). Fed it with 1/1 syrup and released them at 7.30 am next morning.. Left them for 7 days, opened them up to check them.... found 5 sealed Q cells, no eggs and no unsealed brood cells. The seller sent a replacement Q, introduced under Nicot cage with mesh behind it. Checked 7 days later, they had released her and left them to it. Checked the July 12th nuc on August 28, drone layer.. Checked the August 3rd nuc today, no eggs/larva, no sign of Q.. As I wrote in the title... I should have gone fishing for carp.

Good grief!
Start again next year with completely different genes?
I have three maybe four spare colonies I'm taking through winter. You are welcome to one FOC if you want to collect it in spring
Just shout
Or have it now if you want

 

[Bryang]

Through my own experience and experience exchanged from other beeks, I realized if I don't take a bite into qrearing I would be fast out of beekeeping.. Let me simplify if I am telling confusingly - the best queens for You are reared by Bryang.
Same as for me since I read a lot, talk a lot, practice a lot I don't buy queens. Maybe few or none exchange for decade now..
Luckily at beginning of beekeeping I got some tragicomic cases of bought queens ( chalk, size of ordinary bee, yellow as ligustica, laying only half of a frame, aggressive, swarmy - even swarm wanted to swarm again). So I realized even average queen I reared are better than vast majority of bought. So each fail of queen mostly mean that I lost yield from that hive. So for two seasons now I don't have any case of chalk brood and that must mean something I do good.. The yield of honey is decent ( lack of space and empty barrels are nice to have)..
The winter is coming, right time to make time for preparations for next season.

Hi Goran, Thanks for your comments. Unfortunatley the local bees are not very nice, they are rather feisty/defencive, and can be aggresive. I usually replace my queens every other year. Buckfast are deffinately out of the equation locally, I have had some very bad experiances with them.. The only queen bee that I was able to raise a daughter from that was "workable" in this area was from Ricky Wilson who sadly passed away a short time ago..

 

[Hachi]

Good grief!
Start again next year with completely different genes?
I have three maybe four spare colonies I'm taking through winter. You are welcome to one FOC if you want to collect it in spring
Just shout
Or have it now if you want

Very generous and kind of you Dani.

 

[Nannysbees]

I went into winter last year with 2 very strong hives and 2 "medium" sized.. Came out of winter with one strong hive, the other strong hive had tried to supercede, but the new Q had not mated ( she was running about in the hive), this hive died out. Hive 3 had no Q and hive 4 Q was present but was not laying much.. turned out the hive had chalk brood.. Graham (Anduril) came up and we did a split on H1 and I ordered a new Q, introduced he to the split, and released her after 7 days, checked the hive 7 days later, could see she was laying. 2 weeks later checked the hive, no Q, found 3 Q cells, left them to do their thing. H3 (chalk brood) collapsed. Ordered 2 Qs and received them 20th June, introduced them into nucs.. One is still with us, the other dissapeared.... July 6th ordered another Q (different source), she lasted less than 3 weeks... July 12th received another Q from same source as the last one. introduced her under a "Nicot introduction cage". I had put some varroa mesh the other side of the cage to stop them releasing her to quickly. Every thing looked good so I released her 7 days later. Left them to settle.
By know I was getting a bit rattled, so I ordered a nuc from the same source as the 2 previuos Qs. We picked it up on Wednesday 3rd of August in a Maisemore nuc box ( 2.5 hr journey). Fed it with 1/1 syrup and released them at 7.30 am next morning.. Left them for 7 days, opened them up to check them.... found 5 sealed Q cells, no eggs and no unsealed brood cells. The seller sent a replacement Q, introduced under Nicot cage with mesh behind it. Checked 7 days later, they had released her and left them to it. Checked the July 12th nuc on August 28, drone layer.. Checked the August 3rd nuc today, no eggs/larva, no sign of Q.. As I wrote in the title... I should have gone fishing for carp.

What an ordeal, made me chuckle though reads like a comedy

 

[Bryang]

Good grief!
Start again next year with completely different genes?
I have three maybe four spare colonies I'm taking through winter. You are welcome to one FOC if you want to collect it in spring
Just shout
Or have it now if you want

Thanks a lot Dani.. A very generous offer.. I will have a good think about it,

Bryan

What an ordeal, made me chuckle though reads like a comedy

It does indeed, A comedy that cost me £500+

 

[Goran]

It does indeed, A comedy that cost me £500+

This is only cost for queens? When You count for lost honey per each colony.. and some other things.. such as time lost.. I don't have great luxury to have great losses, I would hardly recover.. especially cause I am additionally now unemployed.

 

[Bryang]

This is only cost for queens? When You count for lost honey per each colony.. and some other things.. such as time lost.. I don't have great luxury to have great losses, I would hardly recover.. especially cause I am additionally now unemployed.

Yes, Queens cost me £48 x2 and £55 x 3, the nuc cost £250, and it cost me £50 in fuel to collect it. keeping bees is a hobby for me, what honey I collect usually covers my expenses..

 

[Anduril]

Hi Bryan, I have one spare nuc that I will be overwintering, you can have it FOC. You will have to find a new suitable line for your area as well. Reading the forum this year, it appears that queen introductions have been difficult for a few people. A neighbour of mine bought a queen, which should have turned up Wednesday just gone, it turned up yesterday, all the attendants and queen were dead.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks a lot Dani.. A very generous offer.. I will have a good think about it,

Bryan

No pressure. It's there if you need it.
It's one of the reasons we are all here together
I know what it's like to have such a horrid year.
Another member here rescued me after the dreadful 2012 winter

 

[Bryang]

Hi Bryan, I have one spare nuc that I will be overwintering, you can have it FOC. You will have to find a new suitable line for your area as well. Reading the forum this year, it appears that queen introductions have been difficult for a few people. A neighbour of mine bought a queen, which should have turned up Wednesday just gone, it turned up yesterday, all the attendants and queen were dead.

Thank you Graham.. I will be in touch.
I think my problem has been caused because the only brood and bees I have to make up the nucs are the local Feral beasts.. As you know they are not a very nice bee to work with. I was planning to make up 3 colonies from the new Qs, overwinter them and then combine 2 of them into the 2 mongrel hives I have left.. It looks like H4, the split we made from H1 was taken over by a swarm of the local bees. I opened them up to have a look the last week of July and they boiled up over the frames. Took around 20 stings in my wrist bands.. Thanks again mate...

Bryan

 

[JamezF]

With apologies to the OP, I keep seeing this topic come up with new posts and the first thing that comes into my mind is: "And it's been a carp year for him".

If you're of a certain age, you just can't get away from the Two Ronnies

James