My excuse - blind panic

[beeno]

Sorry, about my earlier post. I have been seeing things that I cannot now verify, and my only explanation is that I must have got myself into a newbie-state-of-panic-at-the-sight-of-a-QC! I lost my colony through missed QC last year. Now my nuc is in good shape HM seen, BIAS not many larvae but lots of capped brood for a small nuc and lots of eggs (moving frame into sunshine small frame few bees senario). However, I have inspected the nuc three more times and have ascertained beyond all reasonable doubt that the only QC I can now find was one swarm cell, capped, charged and now removed. They could not have removed the other one in the meantime could they? I do not know what they are thinking about as there are not enough bees to swarm. They certainly do not know either what they are doing this time! They probably abscond now after being inspected four times. Are they set up to try to swarm again now?

 

[REDWOOD]

where was the queen cell they could be thinking of supercedure, did you not check for the other QC before removing the other one ?

 

[beeno]

where was the queen cell they could be thinking of supercedure, did you not check for the other QC before removing the other one ?

Hi Redwood,
I thought I saw a supercedure cell in the middle of a frame. Looked very much like a emergency cell to me, but HM still there and eggs thereof me thinking it must be supercedure not emergency. I think I might have panicked at this stage because I thought of swarming and closed the hive. Now realise it is not an issue, but went to contact the forum. However, in re-inspecting could not find this one, but found what I consider was a different QC and this one defenitly a swarm cell on the side of the 'frame'. I don't think I looked at the last frame with all the capped brood at the back of it. I SHALL NOT PANIC AGAIN, but it is a lot of thinking through involved in beekeeping. Now I would like to know if you and other beeks think they are in swarming mode. I guess they are? Sugar... syrup!

 

[Martin G]

quick tip

todays handy hint

when you see a qc stick a drawing pin in the top of the frame, then it's much easier to find it again.

Martin

 

[REDWOOD]

Bees will remove queen cells, if the queen cell was capped and your queen was there all is not lost, however if your bees where going to supersede your queen that is not an option for them any more so a close eye is needed for more QC on next inspection. I have had QC in one colony made and torn down 3 times this year and still did not swarm

 

[beeno]

Bees will remove queen cells, if the queen cell was capped and your queen was there all is not lost, however if your bees where going to supersede your queen that is not an option for them any more so a close eye is needed for more QC on next inspection. I have had QC in one colony made and torn down 3 times this year and still did not swarm

Hi Redwood,
Thanks for talking to me means a lot. They do have an option of superceding her as there are lots of eggs? Egglaying seems to have come on a lot in 4 days? How many days should I leave for next inspection of the nuc? Many thanks. It is exciting and harrowing at the same time!

 

[REDWOOD]

Some say that when you knock down QC the bees can make a new QC and cap it and swarm in 5 days

 

[BeeMoustashe]

I'd pop back in after 4 days or so, just to catch them just in case and re-evaluate then. Lost a good queen this year after an AS when they built new queen cells and cleared off by the 7th day inspection.

 

[beeno]

Hi all,
Just something I found interesting and did not mention in my previous post. The 'swarm' QC I removed in my nuc did have an accurately 'drawn' line around the top of it as if the 'lid' had been opened and resealed. The bee inside was attached to the RJ plug. Also, the lid was very flimsy and thin compaired to other QC I have seen and handled. I could not tell if the bee in question was dead or alive. Any thoughts? Do we say 'the bees know what they are doing' because we do not have a clue what they are doing? Rather than going mad I have just been told in the apiary today that the bees might have destroyed the other QC and that's why I could not find it!
Any other offers?

 

[burren]

Hi Beeno, which way around was the "bee", head up or down, how fully formed was "she" as you say she was still attached to rj.

 

[beeno]

Hi Beeno, which way around was the "bee", head up or down, how fully formed was "she" as you say she was still attached to rj.

Hi Burren,
How are you. Much better I hope. Head down and black eye age which is significant for dating but I cannot remember off hand. I am in for some fun and games here no doubt.

 

[burren]

Better now, no ill effects after day or so,head down Beeno, is that right?

 

[beeno]

Better now, no ill effects after day or so,head down Beeno, is that right?

Yes, I checked that because other way round it could have been a re-sealed in bee, but it was also white pupa so it must have been a queen?