Plan 'B'

[Moggs]

As I expected, the recommendation from the recent inspection by the FERA Seasonal Bee Inspector was to combine two weak colonies and use the resultant queen to replace the majestic one in another hive. The Inspector had found this queen to be damaged (and a resultant drone layer, sadly, probably through my own earlier clumsiness).

OK, fresh from my total failure to find thymol crystals on a bank holiday Monday (what do the kids learn in school these days, even a pharmacist at Tesco didn't know what thymol is) I set out, all manner of queen capturing devices and blue ink to hand.

How can queens be so elusive? After about an hour of trawling back and fore through the combs of two hives (thankfully a rare sunny afternoon), I managed to find a prime specimen of a queen, which I promptly scooped up in a spring clip cage. She (and some of her attendant bees) were then daubed with great dollops of blue and tucked away back in the hive awaiting installation in her new residence. At this point I was pleased that I had found the preferred queen for the transfer.

On to the recipient colony. Alas, the sheer number of bees defeated me on this one. Try as I might, the queen that had so willingly presented herself to the Inspector had gone to ground. I had to close up. I have left the caged queen suspended between the frames of the first hive with a glob of fondant pressed into place, pending a repeat performance tomorrow.

In reference to BeeBreeder's sig, if they are indeed going to teach me patience, I do wish they'd hurry up.

Such fun...

 

[oliver90owner]

Split the brood, sieve the bees, or any of the other tricks (for finding the queen) given on this forum recently should work, without trawling through and through a colony, especially if you are just looking for a queen that is not needed.

Have fun.

RAB

 

[Moggs]

RAB - of course. Daft to keep on doggedly in the hope that 'she'll be along in a minute'. I think it may be the case with many new beekeepers that we can't see the wood for the trees. Tomorrow will bring a better approach.

Thanks and regards.

 

[MuswellMetro]

divide and conquer and ALWAYS look into the bottom of the boxes as well

 

[Moggs]

Thanks MM. I have to admit that I concentrate on the frmes, in the belief that every self-respecting queen should be gainfully occupied! I'll have a bimble through the words of wisdom on the forum and go suitably tooled-up on the morrow (great British Summer permitting).