On the right track ?

[beeker]

Just checking I'm on the right track.
First year, and first real issues. As I've been caught out at away at work, And missing inspection day, due to horrendous weather. So it's unfortunately been 10 days since last inspection.
Three colonies, two from swarms attracted to hives, and third kindly donated by curly.
Hive 1, earliest swarm I caught in june, pretty sure that they're queenless now. Cant see eggs or larvae, or the Queen, neighbour saw a swarm on 23rd july close to my garden.
On inspecting today there was an uncapped queen cell but it was right on the edge of the frame and was damaged most likely by me as I took the frames out, so I removed it. There's another sealed cell which i have left, though not the biggest cell. No other at all in the hive. Thinking now just to leave that and keep an eye on it, I've marked the frame.

Second collected hive is all good, bias, and expanding well. Though couldn't find the Queen, but loads of eggs.

Third hive in an out apairy, is curlys gift. Still expanding, brood covering 5 frames now, seen eggs today, and found and marked the small queen. Still got a few frames of undrawn Foundation on 14x12, so loads of room, but there were two queen cells, ones sealed the other unsealed. I've removed both of them, thinking that was the right thing to do, was i right ?
Have I just caught them before they swarmed, could it be a planned supercedure? Provided it's the same one it's this year's Queen from curly.

Just a lot to take in, pleased and confused in equal amounts.

 

[bobba]

My first hive decided to build queen cells before all comb was even drawn.

Like you I started by killing all Q-cells I could find. But they just kept making more, until they got one past me and swarmed.

Sounds like you have done the right thing in the hive that has swarmed.

For the hive curley gave you, I would try check boarding the un-drawn and drawn frames. Muddling up the hive a bit may help suppress their swarming instinct. If they dont have much forage you could consider giving them a little feed to simulate a strong flow.

Hopefully someone who actualy knows what they are talking about will be along to advise you better regarding curleys hive.

It sounds like you are doing really well and picking things up fast.

 

[beeker]

Thank you Bobba, I've been chequer boarding, just inside the food store frames, so as not to break up the brood nest. Also been feeding 1:1 syrup and they've been taking that well. They are making inroads into drawing the fresh foundation, and I'm guessing what they are filling them with is a mixture of the syrup, and any nectar they are finding. I'm located in a rural area, with lots of deciduous woodland, grass fields, and hedgerows close, and a river nearby, though no idea what forage is actually available really as its my first year and I'm taking it all in. they seem to be collecting a fair bit of different pollen as well.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Who on earth advised you to feed syrup if they are bringing in nectar?!

 

[enrico]

Ok,
Hive 1, add a frame of eggs if you can. If you have no queen then you need to give them the opportunity to make one. The queen cell you describe sounds a bit iffy so I would remove it and let them start again or consider combining with another hi e if you are sure the have no queen.
Hive 2 sounds ok
Hive 3 on the next inspection look for queen cells. If there is any then the chances are they are trying to change the queen. It is never any good knocking down queen cells. If they are trying to swarm then be prepared to control it to keep both parts. If they are trying to supercede then that is for a reason!
It is mind blowing when you start!
Have a read of my blog on this site for a few smiles about my mistakes and a few tips.

 

[bobba]

When my first hive swarmed I had been feeding it too, in the hope of making them draw faster. (As advised by the guy I got my bees from)

I think I over fed mine leading to them to become honey bound, and probably triggering the swarm. What I thought were empty cells, I later found all had a bit of nectar in the bottom.

My bees, and others from what I can gather have been slow to cap honey this year due to the damp weather. If you have been feeding a lot, then they may be struggling for space to dry it down.

When you look next, see if there is any space, by space I mean empty cells the Q can lay in.

With the stores on the outside, they can form a honey wall the Q does not like to pass, so if you have been C-boarding the stores, depending on exactly what you have done you may have been slowly moving the honey walls inwards constricting them of space.

I think I would move all full stores to the outside, then part stores, then c-board the brood and whatever frames are leftover in the centre.

My logic being as follows. I think one of the triggers for swarming is when there are too many bees per brood. Splitting the brood will make it take more bees to warm the brood thus keep more of them busy and lower the swarm urge. Once the brood is split the q will love any new comb between other brood frames. So hopfuly will help fix your brood to bee ratio. This is my own unproven theory.

I have not been keeping bees long so please understand I am no expert and am only saying what I would consider doing.

 

[bobba]

And do check out enricos blogs, I have read some and they are excellent.

He has one in particular I recommend on what to do in year 2 of beekeeping, read it this winter.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Just checking I'm on the right track.
First year, and first real issues. As I've been caught out at away at work, And missing inspection day, due to horrendous weather. So it's unfortunately been 10 days since last inspection.
Three colonies, two from swarms attracted to hives, and third kindly donated by curly.
Hive 1, earliest swarm I caught in june, pretty sure that they're queenless now. Cant see eggs or larvae, or the Queen, neighbour saw a swarm on 23rd july close to my garden.
On inspecting today there was an uncapped queen cell but it was right on the edge of the frame and was damaged most likely by me as I took the frames out, so I removed it. There's another sealed cell which i have left, though not the biggest cell. No other at all in the hive. Thinking now just to leave that and keep an eye on it, I've marked the frame.

Second collected hive is all good, bias, and expanding well. Though couldn't find the Queen, but loads of eggs.

Third hive in an out apairy, is curlys gift. Still expanding, brood covering 5 frames now, seen eggs today, and found and marked the small queen. Still got a few frames of undrawn Foundation on 14x12, so loads of room, but there were two queen cells, ones sealed the other unsealed. I've removed both of them, thinking that was the right thing to do, was i right ?
Have I just caught them before they swarmed, could it be a planned supercedure? Provided it's the same one it's this year's Queen from curly.

Just a lot to take in, pleased and confused in equal amounts.

You say she’s small. Could it be simply supersedure? If it is they will try again

 

[Curly green finger's]

My thoughts, I did suggest he fed 1:1 as she was a new queen and there was a frame to be drawn it would of helped.
That was on the 16th of July.
The number of cells and one being capped and queen present to me is supersedure I feel.

 

[Swarm]

Sounds like supersedure but I don't think a July nuc needs feeding, it's warm so they slurp that down and add it to the nectar that is also piling in. As it's such an easy resource, I find they stuff and build out existing cells which cause problems with the frame next to it rather than wasting it drawing comb that they don't need just yet.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Sounds like supersedure but I don't think a July nuc needs feeding, it's warm so they slurp that down and add it to the nectar that is also piling in. As it's such an easy resource, I find they stuff and build out existing cells which cause problems with the frame next to it rather than wasting it drawing comb that they don't need just yet.

I've seen what you mean when there's a strong flow, almost like they haven't time or colony strength to draw. One frame ends up being drawn out thicker and the neighbouring frame gets left one sided,is this what you mean Steve?
I didn't realise and will make sure in future what I say as advice I wasn't expecting continued feeding for now 17 days.

 

[Swarm]

That's it, coming in faster than they have the time or numbers to deal with. I guess they weigh up the odds and choose the path of least effort.

 

[beeker]

Bit of an update:
HIVE 1 The queen less hive, with one smallish capped queen cell, That cell has now dissapeared totally gone cleaned away, so no way of telling if it emerged, or was just broken down by the bees. So i've added a test frame with eggs this morning, so 7 days time I should either: see uncapped queen cells , in which case I'll select the best and hope all goes OK and she has time to mate. If no queen cells I shall assume there's a virgin in the hive already, and then its a waiting game to see if she mates. End of the day if all this fails I can unite to its neighbour later on.

Hive 2 still all good, expanding still, loads of BIAS, and stores. Found and marked a lovely queen. Really nice calm bees, Donated a frame of eggs to Hive 1.

Hive 3 Curly's Gift, took some of the stores off as they were rather full, now got some space to lay.
Lesson learnt on not feeding when they are bringing nectar in, thank you.
queen seen, and she isn't actually that small at all , just my excitement getting the better of me.
There have been no more attempts to build any queen cells this week, thoroughly checked all frames, so thinking maybe they were just feeling short of room, though they did and still have a few sides undrawn.

Lots of wasps around hives 1+2, entrances down to tiny space, and lots of queueing going on but they are coping well, and turfing out any that try their luck.

Amitraz added to all three hives as no supers on any. As a couple of mites seen on a board check. Date on calendar added to remove so I dont forget!

Think that's it for now, really enjoyed this inspection and manipulation, had a plan, much calmer less rushed, though aware the wasps were diving at the exposed frame, so a bit faster than I should have been.

Love this forum, can always find what I need with judicious searching, or just plain asking......Feel free to shoot me down if I've done wrong, or any advice welcome.

 

[drex]

Having a plan always good, saves a lot of angst and having to rush off to find equipment. Did some unusually complex manipulations over the weekend and I had thought it through thoroughly. It went better than I had hoped.
I enjoy my beekeeping a good 90% of the time. It helps, as does keeping good records

 

[Swarm]

Bit of an update:
HIVE 1 The queen less hive, with one smallish capped queen cell, That cell has now dissapeared totally gone cleaned away, so no way of telling if it emerged, or was just broken down by the bees. So i've added a test frame with eggs this morning, so 7 days time I should either: see uncapped queen cells , in which case I'll select the best and hope all goes OK and she has time to mate. If no queen cells I shall assume there's a virgin in the hive already, and then its a waiting game to see if she mates. End of the day if all this fails I can unite to its neighbour later on.

Hive 2 still all good, expanding still, loads of BIAS, and stores. Found and marked a lovely queen. Really nice calm bees, Donated a frame of eggs to Hive 1.

Hive 3 Curly's Gift, took some of the stores off as they were rather full, now got some space to lay.
Lesson learnt on not feeding when they are bringing nectar in, thank you.
queen seen, and she isn't actually that small at all , just my excitement getting the better of me.
There have been no more attempts to build any queen cells this week, thoroughly checked all frames, so thinking maybe they were just feeling short of room, though they did and still have a few sides undrawn.

Lots of wasps around hives 1+2, entrances down to tiny space, and lots of queueing going on but they are coping well, and turfing out any that try their luck.

Amitraz added to all three hives as no supers on any. As a couple of mites seen on a board check. Date on calendar added to remove so I dont forget!

Think that's it for now, really enjoyed this inspection and manipulation, had a plan, much calmer less rushed, though aware the wasps were diving at the exposed frame, so a bit faster than I should have been.

Love this forum, can always find what I need with judicious searching, or just plain asking......Feel free to shoot me down if I've done wrong, or any advice welcome.

Sounds like you are loving it

 

[Curly green finger's]

Brilliant and nice to hear a follow-up.
Let me know if there is anything I can do... by the sounds of it you have it covered

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bit of an update:
HIVE 1 The queen less hive, with one smallish capped queen cell, That cell has now dissapeared totally gone cleaned away, so no way of telling if it emerged, or was just broken down by the bees. So i've added a test frame with eggs this morning, so 7 days time I should either: see uncapped queen cells , in which case I'll select the best and hope all goes OK and she has time to mate. If no queen cells I shall assume there's a virgin in the hive already, and then its a waiting game to see if she mates. End of the day if all this fails I can unite to its neighbour later on.

Hive 2 still all good, expanding still, loads of BIAS, and stores. Found and marked a lovely queen. Really nice calm bees, Donated a frame of eggs to Hive 1.

Hive 3 Curly's Gift, took some of the stores off as they were rather full, now got some space to lay.
Lesson learnt on not feeding when they are bringing nectar in, thank you.
queen seen, and she isn't actually that small at all , just my excitement getting the better of me.
There have been no more attempts to build any queen cells this week, thoroughly checked all frames, so thinking maybe they were just feeling short of room, though they did and still have a few sides undrawn.

Lots of wasps around hives 1+2, entrances down to tiny space, and lots of queueing going on but they are coping well, and turfing out any that try their luck.

Amitraz added to all three hives as no supers on any. As a couple of mites seen on a board check. Date on calendar added to remove so I dont forget!

Think that's it for now, really enjoyed this inspection and manipulation, had a plan, much calmer less rushed, though aware the wasps were diving at the exposed frame, so a bit faster than I should have been.

Love this forum, can always find what I need with judicious searching, or just plain asking......Feel free to shoot me down if I've done wrong, or any advice welcome.

If you can stand back at the end of the day having done your best and be pleased with it what more can you ask?