Mistake leads to a great experience

[ianorsven]

The mistake was in not checking thoroughly for EQCs in the parent colony after Pagden AS carried out on 5th May and checked on 11th May.

Today I discovered a swarm (looked small enough to be a cast) in the magnolia next to the apiary. Checked both my queen-right hives - both queens present. No need to check other ASed hive for EQCs - did that yesterday, so must be hive 4, the parent colony of my other AS. Sure enough there is an opened QC (that's my swarm) and 3 other sealed EQCs including the one I had left on 11th May.

The great experience was noticing the nurse bees opening one of the sealed queen cells. I quickly got a nucleus hive and using the end of my hive tool gently released a fine looking virgin queen onto the frame. I added another frame with a little brood and another of stores and put the nuc in a shady corner of the apiary. So chuffed at having overseen this.

The swarm I collected into the brand new skep bought at Beetradex and housed into poly nuc later. I've collected a few swarms but this went according to the book - on a branch, sharp tap, all into skep after an hour or so and housed without fuss.

Elated at experience; cross that I missed EQCs; but happy to have possibility of some new queens from a good source.

 

[Beagle23]

The mistake was in not checking thoroughly for EQCs in the parent colony after Pagden AS carried out on 5th May and checked on 11th May.

Today I discovered a swarm (looked small enough to be a cast) in the magnolia next to the apiary. Checked both my queen-right hives - both queens present. No need to check other ASed hive for EQCs - did that yesterday, so must be hive 4, the parent colony of my other AS. Sure enough there is an opened QC (that's my swarm) and 3 other sealed EQCs including the one I had left on 11th May.

The great experience was noticing the nurse bees opening one of the sealed queen cells. I quickly got a nucleus hive and using the end of my hive tool gently released a fine looking virgin queen onto the frame. I added another frame with a little brood and another of stores and put the nuc in a shady corner of the apiary. So chuffed at having overseen this.

The swarm I collected into the brand new skep bought at Beetradex and housed into poly nuc later. I've collected a few swarms but this went according to the book - on a branch, sharp tap, all into skep after an hour or so and housed without fuss.

Elated at experience; cross that I missed EQCs; but happy to have possibility of some new queens from a good source.

Congrats. It's great when it really goes well isn't it.

I had a fairly turbulent April/May with my bees but yesterday I got one of the garden chairs and sat next to my hive watching them coming and going in the sunshine, and the garden coming to life around me. Stress levels dropped to zero and all is right with the world. That's the effect the bees can have on me......when it's going well

 

[ianorsven]

Cheers, Beagle23.
So true, highs and lows ........but the highs have it!