naughty queen and bad beekeeper - probably

[Brookend]

Dear Experienced Bee keepers
I'm just going into my first proper season having received a full colony of bees last July.
I overwintered my girls in a double brood box, kept an eye on them and everything has been fine.
I tried to inspect them at the start of April, but to my dismay, after removing the roof (it's a gabled one) found that the queen was in there, laying away merrily. Having separated the queen from the colony, the others in the colony weren't too impressed, I was worried that the queen may crawl off in the grass and I didn't have lots of time so I put the lid on and decided to come back another time.
I had the chance to do a proper inspection this week. Queen still in lid *sigh*, but carried on regardless. Everything looks ok - eggs, sealed and larvae in both boxes and about a couple of frames of stores in both boxes too, although the top box stores are just building up.
My concern is Queenie in the lid. Obviously, I don't want her there and I need to get her into the main bit. Thinking I should get a super on and a queen excluder, but I need some advice about how to get the queen into the main boxes without mishap and should I scrape off the comb on the box lid?
What would you do???
I await your pearls of wisdom
Thanks

 

[Erichalfbee]

I might be tempted to catch the queen and pop her into the top brood box and sacrifice the comb in the lid, making sure there is room for her to lay.

 

[Edwardking]

I might be tempted to catch the queen and pop her into the top brood box and sacrifice the comb in the lid, making sure there is room for her to lay.

And add a QE when you've done this.

 

[enrico]

Time to be brutal. If you have a queen clip which is like a sprung cage, it means that once the queen is in there she can't fly off. Look in a catalogue and get one as it is a useful piece of kit for a beginner. Slip her on top of the frames in the bb and she will run down into the dark. Then the brutal bit, clean all of the comb out of the roof. The most likely reason she got in there is you used a feeder board instead of a proper crown board. A crown board has no hole in it. I would think she got through the hole!
That is one draw back with gable roofs, there is a big inviting space up there!
Once sorted put on your QE and super and you are back how you should be. Let us know how you get on
E

 

[BeeJayBee]

I had the chance to do a proper inspection this week. Queen still in lid *sigh*, but carried on regardless. Everything looks ok - eggs, sealed and larvae in both boxes and about a couple of frames of stores in both boxes too, although the top box stores are just building up.

My concern is Queenie in the lid. [laying away merrily]

What would you do???

I would wonder if there are two queens in the hive - one laying in the brood box(es), the other isolated in the roof space and kept there by the workers.

 

[Brookend]

Thanks for the advice so far. I'd forgotten about queen clips!


I would wonder if there are two queens in the hive - one laying in the brood box(es), the other isolated in the roof space and kept there by the workers.

Nooooooooooooo!!!!

I'm going to nip over to my local bee keeping suppliers this afternoon and get myself a queen clip.

Maybe I also need to make sure I've got enough frames to make up another brood box just incase.....

Will keep you posted

 

[Brookend]

P.S. Yes, I did have a feeder crown board on. Might need to get a new one without feeder holes while I'm about it

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

P.S. Yes, I did have a feeder crown board on. Might need to get a new one without feeder holes while I'm about it

Save money; drop some polycarbonate (for a bit os clearness) or other thin sheet over the hokes and they'll prop it on. You coud glue it on but it's one more substance in the hive and harder to pop off.

 

[Heather]

I use old bathroom tiles over feeder holes when not required. Never have crown boards which are solid.

 

[Brookend]

OK, think I have it sorted. Got queen clip and crown of thorns thingy.
When I lifted the lid inside it was heaving with bees, but no sign of Queen, whereas last couple of times I'd quite clearly seen her scurrying around. After watching for a bit I decided she wasn't there any more. Put on queen excluder with super on top. Scraped comb off inside of lid. Chickens enjoyed the larvae. Bees were not best pleased, so have decided to leave them alone for a bit to settle back down.
No need for new purchases, but at least I've got them in my kit now, should the need arise.
Anyway, got back in to write this up and one of the little Bs has just stung me on the back of the leg - must have sneaked back into the house with me!
Thanks for everyone's advice and fingers crossed!

 

[Easy Beesy]

You said 'boxes' and you want to put on a super - what is the makeup of your hive now please?

 

[YorkshireBees]

You said 'boxes' and you want to put on a super - what is the makeup of your hive now please?

Dear Experienced Bee keepers
I'm just going into my first proper season having received a full colony of bees last July.
I overwintered my girls in a double brood box, kept an eye on them and everything has been fine.

OP said in 1st post

 

[alldigging]

Anyway, got back in to write this up and one of the little Bs has just stung me on the back of the leg - must have sneaked back into the house with me!

Always open your bee tool box outside the back door when you're putting your stuff away. Some stray bee might be lurking in there and it's much better to let it out outside than indoors!