New Beginnings

[grizzly]

Just went into the airing cupboard to look at my 1lb jars with queen cells, and 1 of them is chewing her way out, 1 other is also a possibility!!.

How Cool

How long will it take her to chew her way out ? should i put a drop of honey and a drop of water in the bottom of the jar for her?, to keep her ticking over till i can get her into a mating hive on saturday ??

Very Excited.

Might not sleep tonight.

 

[Metamorphosis]

Sorry grizzly but may I ask why you have queen cells in 1lb honey jars?

Is there enough ventilation?
What do you intend feeding them when they hatch?
How are you going to transfer them?

Yours;

 

[Trigger]

Good fun

all the best Trigger

 

[grizzly]

they were the cells i cut away from the frames on my hive containing my only "Hampshire" queen.

She has been lost trying to swarm, i removed surplus cells leaving one for the bees, as i was cutting them out i placed them in a tupperware tub, i decided not to squash them all but take them home and see if they hatch out, i attached the cells to the underside of the jars (thats all i had to put them in), there are ventilation holes in the tops.

 

[Metamorphosis]

Just a thought regarding transfer of the queens.

Do you have transfer cages and fondant for the plug?
Or how are you going to transfer them?

Yours;

 

[grizzly]

yes i have some cages, and also fondant.
I was not just going to throw her into a hive full of bees.

i was either going to make up another nuc or buy an Apidea mating hive, introduce her into one or the other, in the cage.

However, having not done anything like this before, what do i give her to keep her going till saturday ? honey/water/pollen ?

Any advice given will guide me in the right direction.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Grizzly how about a photo or two?

 

[grizzly]

sorry, cheap camera and bad photographer. you can just about see where she is cutting through. the cells do seem a bit stubby, but then length isnt everything !!!!! Ooh Matron.

 

[Metamorphosis]

Hi grizzly

In no way did I infer your approach to mating the queen.

I was not just going to throw her into a hive full of bees.

I realise from your other posts that you do give the best attention to your bees.
Sorry if I caused any distress.

Yours;

 

[grizzly]

No Distress metamorphosis, i said that just in case anyone thought i might.

She is almost out this morning, gave her a little help but left her just enough to keep her occupied for today, she has taken in water and honey, and i cut a section of pollen filled comb ready for when she exits.

I realise this method is unorthadox, but then any "Local" queen who survives to go on and head a full colony has to be worth it.

 

[VEG]

Its got to be worth a try