making increase

[Birnambeekeeper]

i wondered what the anyones opinion is on the best and quickest way of making increase. I've now 9 hives on 2 apiaries. Most of these are splits of some sort. Ive got the rearing kit kit but no actual queens on the go yet. I had some success with this last year with a couple of mating nuclei but i may buy some in as well.
I would like to get to about 20 hives possibly more over the next few year

Thoughts?

 

[oliver90owner]

Ive got the rearing kit kit but no actual queens on the go yet.

I would hope not - if open mated! Because they won't be!

 

[For want of a better word]

Possibly splits and your own mated queens?

Your own bee improvement program of your own local bees !


IMO ... do not want to be put on the naughty posters list !

 

[stoneleighhouse]

perhaps more people might ask interesting questions if there were n't the patronising answers

 

[Birnambeekeeper]

would my question rank as uninteresting?

 

[stoneleighhouse]

no not at all v interesting but some replies less than polite

 

[MJBee]

As you have 9 colonies now your queens will all be into their 2nd season so stand by for swarms.

I would work the brood nest a la Polyhive to build them up quickly then artificial swarm as they go into swarm mode, that will get you to 18 colonies without loss of honey crop. Then in May, June and July rear your own queens and requeen in late season as required.
ps I think Stoneleighouse was commenting on the initial replies to your post. Nowt wrong with your question

 

[Jeff Buzz]

no not at all v interesting but some replies less than polite

 

[Red Bee]

Ive got the rearing kit kit but no actual queens on the go yet.

I would hope not - if open mated! Because they won't be!

What does this reply mean?

 

[Red Bee]

i wondered what the anyones opinion is on the best and quickest way of making increase. I've now 9 hives on 2 apiaries. Most of these are splits of some sort. Ive got the rearing kit kit but no actual queens on the go yet. I had some success with this last year with a couple of mating nuclei but i may buy some in as well.
I would like to get to about 20 hives possibly more over the next few year

Thoughts?

Double brood all of your hives & have a go at rearing Q's, once top brood boxes fully occupied take off & introduce your own Q's.

 

[Leigh]

This link outlines a method that could work very well for you:

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/method1.html

I have tried it, and will probably use it again this season. Good luck!

 

[drstitson]

"What does this reply mean?"

just what it says.

back to the OP - work brood as per PH, AS and put spare queen cells in mini-nucs. that way you can double colonies, requeen if necessary and make nucs right after the main flow.

 

[Poly Hive]

Redbee? there are no drones at the moment so if by some fluke the OP had achieved some virgins then there is no way to mate them..

The OP might find some reading of interest here:

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7767

PH

 

[Red Bee]

"What does this reply mean?"

just what it says.

Really?

I would have thought the OP would have known about there not being any drones about for mating this time of year.

Oh well

 

[drstitson]

red bee

yes i know that "I've got the rearing kit but no actual queens on the go yet"
is perfectly correct statement for the time of year but does sow some seeds of doubt re timing of queen rearing in the UK versus say "i've got the queen rearing kit ready waiting for late spring"

 

[Into the lions den]

i wondered what the anyones opinion is on the best and quickest way of making increase. I've now 9 hives on 2 apiaries. Most of these are splits of some sort. Ive got the rearing kit kit but no actual queens on the go yet. I had some success with this last year with a couple of mating nuclei but i may buy some in as well.
I would like to get to about 20 hives possibly more over the next few year

Thoughts?

Birnam is a location that is abit unusual, near the lowlands and yet subject to the winds that sometimes funnel up and down the Tay valley, and also a stack later seasonally than the areas where most repondents come from.

Why do you not just take a short amble over to Inver and ask some truly local advice from John Taylor?

John is a very nice man with a wealth of local experience for your exact area.

 

[mbc]

i wondered what the anyones opinion is on the best and quickest way of making increase. I've now 9 hives on 2 apiaries. Most of these are splits of some sort. Ive got the rearing kit kit but no actual queens on the go yet. I had some success with this last year with a couple of mating nuclei but i may buy some in as well.
I would like to get to about 20 hives possibly more over the next few year

Thoughts?

Quickest way would be to make up some splits and introduce bought in queens.
The best way of making increase is a bit more debatable, but probably initially breeding from your best colony.

 

[oliver90owner]

stoneleighhouse,

Thoughts were asked for. That was my first thought, on reading the post. If you have nothing pertinent to the thread, why post?

As you had not noticed it is 1st March and the poster is somewhat further north than most. Even in southernmost Lincolnshire, I would not be rearing queens just yet. See?

Short and to the point is not necessarily impolite - just blunt and to the point. Maybe lots will have to think about the reply and some will not be able to work out what it means. Sorry about that.

 

[Birnambeekeeper]

I should have made it clear - the queen mating hives are empty. I had read though you can overwinter little colonies in these. I know John Taylor well and he has been really helpful over the years. I like all the different advice from the forum as well though - there is usually more than one of doing something.

 

[susbees]

Redbee? there are no drones at the moment so if by some fluke the OP had achieved some virgins then there is no way to mate them..

Unless you got a DLQ from a late imperfect supercedure. Growl