Our girls did it...our first Queen!

[Tremyfro]

Hurrah...yippee....Ta Daa
We have our very first Trem y Fro Hill Homebred Queen.
After many nights of tossing and turning and thinking of all scenarios...couldn't wait any longer.
As we had to apply our MAQS strip to our other hives...we just had to have a peek into the nuc.
Lo and behold.......there was a beautiful long fat black bellied queen.
I cannot tell you how relieved we were. The bees were bringing in nectar and pollen...plenty of stores ATM. Still space for her to lay and loads of bees to nurse the babies.
Now, do we leave them in the nuc for the winter? Bees are covering 5 frames. Only one frame left to pull out and they have started on it. Only small areas of eggs...but difficult to see clearly on the darker comb. There are lots of babies though.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hurrah...yippee....Ta Daa
We have our very first Trem y Fro Hill Homebred Queen.
After many nights of tossing and turning and thinking of all scenarios...couldn't wait any longer.
As we had to apply our MAQS strip to our other hives...we just had to have a peek into the nuc.
Lo and behold.......there was a beautiful long fat black bellied queen.
I cannot tell you how relieved we were. The bees were bringing in nectar and pollen...plenty of stores ATM. Still space for her to lay and loads of bees to nurse the babies.
Now, do we leave them in the nuc for the winter? Bees are covering 5 frames. Only one frame left to pull out and they have started on it. Only small areas of eggs...but difficult to see clearly on the darker comb. There are lots of babies though.

Keep them in the nuc for now, probably will do for the winter, just monitor development and take stock again in a few weeks I wouldn't treat them for varroa yet there shouldn't be much there - just give them peace and quiet to build up

 

[Tremyfro]

No we aren't treating for varroa...just MAQS for the big colonies.
We will take another look in a few weeks time...to see how they are doing.
We feel really encouraged. Having made the decision to take frames from the hive which had been making QCs...to help prevent swarming...which worked well...we ended up with the nuc. We hadn't intended to make increase...just how it worked out. Really glad it is viable now.

 

[beeno]

Congratulations on being re-queened. Hope I am in the same position as there is lots of pollen going in today, but I am waiting my nine days so I won't know for sure.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well done!

We hadn't intended to make increase...just how it worked out..

That's beekeeping for you. I only ever wanted two colonies. I have eight boxes at present

 

[kazmcc]

Hurrah...yippee....Ta Daa
We have our very first Trem y Fro Hill Homebred Queen.
Lo and behold.......there was a beautiful long fat black bellied queen.

That's brilliant!! I bet she's a real beauty I love it when I hear about people rearing their first queen, takes me back to mine and how excited I was. Well done you! ( and the bees lol )

 

[Tremyfro]

I'm sure yours will be fine too. It is a long wait though. I feel on top of the world...new Queen today...doing a demo on my horse tomorrow....my cup is full...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Well done!
That's beekeeping for you. I only ever wanted two colonies. I have eight boxes at present

When I first started I foolishly told my SBI I would be happy with three or four colonies - he stepped up close, looked up deep into my eyes (he's not that tall) stepped back and said ' hmm, we'll chat again in a few years time' if I include the one colony that probably isn't viable at the moment, there's twenty boxes of bees kicking around!

 

[Tremyfro]

I can see how that happens too. Do you enjoy your top bar hive.

 

[oliver90owner]

At this time of year, with a virgin of less than three weeks old, all should be OK. Usually only poor weather or no drones leads to drone layers at this stage of their life.

You now have the opportunity to choose whether to 1) boost them with emerging brood, if some is spare, to get them into a full brood box ready for winter or 2) maybe have to remove frames of brood if you intend over-wintering in the nuc. I would suggest the former as the better option for the middle of August.

There is a reasonable chance they could fill a brood without any outside assistance, but that is relying on the fickle UK weather.

RAB

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I can see how that happens too. Do you enjoy your top bar hive.

The top bar hives are in Africa - where they belong!
I shal try and persuade SWMBO to don a suit and inspect them when she goes out on her placement shortly!!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Get her to wear a veil cam and you can enjoy vicariously
BTW
What are you going to do with those 20 boxes now that you have a job after all?

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

What?

JBM has a job as well!

He's never off the Forum it seems.

Dusty

 

[Blue Spinnaker]

Hurrah...yippee....Ta Daa
We have our very first Trem y Fro Hill Homebred Queen.
After many nights of tossing and turning and thinking of all scenarios...couldn't wait any longer.
As we had to apply our MAQS strip to our other hives...we just had to have a peek into the nuc.
Lo and behold.......there was a beautiful long fat black bellied queen.
I cannot tell you how relieved we were. The bees were bringing in nectar and pollen...plenty of stores ATM. Still space for her to lay and loads of bees to nurse the babies.
Now, do we leave them in the nuc for the winter? Bees are covering 5 frames. Only one frame left to pull out and they have started on it. Only small areas of eggs...but difficult to see clearly on the darker comb. There are lots of babies though.

Excellent news am looking forward to a first peek in my nuc over the weekend to see if mine has also worked. I am a week or so behind you, and my nuc has 14x12 frames in so I'm thinking of over wintering in that if all works out, but will be interested in comments on your thread.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What are you going to do with those 20 boxes now that you have a job after all?

Well, due to the fact that Swansea is the furthest commute I can do due to my injury, and the fact that desk space is short down there - i have been given a laptop and 'home worker' status - ho hum, i suppose I'll manage somehow

 

[Tremyfro]

Well, due to the fact that Swansea is the furthest commute I can do due to my injury, and the fact that desk space is short down there - i have been given a laptop and 'home worker' status - ho hum, i suppose I'll manage somehow

How harsh is that.....make up for it by working in the sunshine watching your bees!

 

[Tremyfro]

Excellent news am looking forward to a first peek in my nuc over the weekend to see if mine has also worked. I am a week or so behind you, and my nuc has 14x12 frames in so I'm thinking of over wintering in that if all works out, but will be interested in comments on your thread.

You will be thrilled when you see HM trotting across the frame doing a little jig. We were!!! It's a bit like magic.....

 

[Tremyfro]

The top bar hives are in Africa - where they belong!
I shal try and persuade SWMBO to don a suit and inspect them when she goes out on her placement shortly!!

Ha Ha......a long walk to check them in your out apiary!
Still think of all the goodies you can order whilst she is away.....it will be Xmas ....come early every day....and no guilty explanations...

 

[Tremyfro]

At this time of year, with a virgin of less than three weeks old, all should be OK. Usually only poor weather or no drones leads to drone layers at this stage of their life.

You now have the opportunity to choose whether to 1) boost them with emerging brood, if some is spare, to get them into a full brood box ready for winter or 2) maybe have to remove frames of brood if you intend over-wintering in the nuc. I would suggest the former as the better option for the middle of August.

There is a reasonable chance they could fill a brood without any outside assistance, but that is relying on the fickle UK weather.

RAB

Hmmmmm.....something to think on. I will have to wait and see if our Queen in the main hive is still living and breathing and laying after her MAQS experience. If all OK then it would be possible to take another frame from that colony perhaps. The other hive is on 14 x12 so the frames would be too big for the nuc. Well I suppose I could use the eke.

 

[oliver90owner]

Well I suppose I could use the eke.

It need only be there a few days if brood is emerging, but there may be too much brood on a single frame, as an initial addition.

RAB