more demaree help pls (apols)

[Cuckmere couple]

thanks Steve

i wondered if it had been a mistake to move all brood up...one colony i demareed on 14/4 started with 11 frames in UBB and has had 18 frames moved up since then (plus a 2 frame nuc taken out)

i probably didnt add supers fast enough as 3 were nearly full for a week or so before i added a 4th

 

[user 819]

I have had DB colonies where the Q has laid up some 14 - 18 frames of brood. It is at this stage irrelevant of room or stores that I Demaree, before I see any signs of QC's. I then continue on a rolling Demaree weekly ( a lot of work dismantling all the time). Depending on many factors at some stage I may decide to revert the colony back to near normal and make up a nuc with the older Q. If I see QC in the LBB then it is time to split /make up a nuc as their minds are set, one reason to clip to save losing half the colony.

Obviously with DB one can't move all the brood so I mainly move as much sealed as possible as these will vacate cells first, I then place the rest of the brood in one BB and remove the second. If the Q looks to be continuing to outlay the rotation then the second BB goes back on ( I store it above the CB in case). As mentioned if QC's appear n the LBB then act on another swarm control method.

 

[user 819]

Sometimes it works to plan and one can regularly continue some rotation, a lot will depend on Q prolificacy. My last real success was rotating 3 up 3 down on weekly basis during a summer flow. I then reassembled the colony as normal and they decided to replace her late summer, not risking a swarm I simply make up a nuc with the plan to over winter the old Q once the replacement is laying.

At some stage with a Demeree the Q will need replacing as the reason for a Demeree is to pre-empt swarming and often of prolifc Q's, though a she ages they may or will decide to ship her out.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

thanks hemo....helpful stuff.

i wonder what percentage of colonies people keep stay together, intact and not split for a season...i seem to have a few now which are requeening and hoping they will be strong enough for summer

 

[user 819]

Depends on their swarm tendency, swarmy bees are never happy so one can't win.

 

[Antipodes]

thanks hemo....helpful stuff.

i wonder what percentage of colonies people keep stay together, intact and not split for a season...i seem to have a few now which are requeening and hoping they will be strong enough for summer

Young, first year queens go well.