post demaree - making up a nuc - does the queen cell need to be closed up

[citrus]

Demeree last weekend so tomorrow is D day with day 7 so looking to make up a nuc from the best (biggest/least wonky) queen cell.

So this is question is about choosing the right QC.

In the past I have used a fully closed queen cell but could you also take one that isnt fully capped ?

would the nurse bees close it up in the nuc that day ?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Demeree last weekend so tomorrow is D day with day 7 so looking to make up a nuc from the best (biggest/least wonky) queen cell.

So this is question is about choosing the right QC.

In the past I have used a fully closed queen cell but could you also take one that isnt fully capped ?

would the nurse bees close it up in the nuc that day ?

They would - but why not delay inspection to day 8 to make sure? no need to relgiously inspect on the seventh day so soon after Demarree

 

[citrus]

They would - but why not delay inspection to day 8 to make sure? no need to relgiously inspect on the seventh day so soon after Demarree

fair enough ... weather was forecast worse tomorrow (8th day).

did the inspection and not the gush of queen cells in the top BB I was expecting if I am honest but then demaree at the right time might stop that urge anyway I guess ?

will keep rolling for a few weeks and try patience

also using your/wallys 'junk box' - the bees up there ... would they be suitable to shake into a nuc to provide some extra troops (dont have an out apiary so nuc's sit in another part of the garden and plug the hole for a day or two to allow them to reorientate)

 

[masterBK]

I demarree most of my colonies every year.. Most only produce three or so Q cells and some don't produce any at all. I wait until queen cells are about two days off emerging before distributing them to mating nuclei. I also use the bees out of the Demaree tops to stock Apidea as they are mostly house bees. Most of my queens are raised using cupkit in a queenless starter these days but I use the Demaree tops to hold and finish the cells.

 

[citrus]

a quick follow up question on the nuc's i made up....last weekend.

when i next inspect my main hives I want to consider the nuc's i made up ....part of me wants to leave them alone to let the new queen do her thing

...but as they are still in the same apiary ... should i get some bees from a top brood box of the neighbouring demaree and shake a frame into the nuc to keep them topped up ?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

a quick follow up question on the nuc's i made up....last weekend.

when i next inspect my main hives I want to consider the nuc's i made up ....part of me wants to leave them alone to let the new queen do her thing

...but as they are still in the same apiary ... should i get some bees from a top brood box of the neighbouring demaree and shake a frame into the nuc to keep them topped up ?

No, just leave them alone

 

[Busybee]

I demarree most of my colonies every year.. Most only produce three or so Q cells and some don't produce any at all. I wait until queen cells are about two days off emerging before distributing them to mating nuclei. I also use the bees out of the Demaree tops to stock Apidea as they are mostly house bees. Most of my queens are raised using cupkit in a queenless starter these days but I use the Demaree tops to hold and finish the cells.

Will the original queen in the bottom brood box not attempt to swarm with sealed queen cells in top box ?. Just trying this method for the first time at the moment and i was going to remove queen cells day 7 or 8, but would prefer to leave to day 12 if that is unlikely to cause swarming.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Will the original queen in the bottom brood box not attempt to swarm with sealed queen cells in top box ?.

not seen it - had two colonies last year that, due to a missed QC ended up with two queens working for most of the season.

 

[masterBK]

Queen cells are built under the supersedure impulse in the demaree top BC so usually the bees in the bottom box (there are usually 2 or more supers between them) do not swarm at or just after these cells are sealed as would be the case if the cells had been built as a result of the usual swarm triggers. It is common practice to get queen cells looked after and finished in demaree tops of queen right colonies before being distributed to mating nuclei.

The workers determine when swarm preparations start and this occurs well before they build swarm cells. Also the queen doesn't "attempt to swarm" as such but she is slimmed down beforehand by being fed less and on the day is driven out by workers to join her daughters in the swarm as it leaves. Scout bees play a big part in most aspects of swarm behaviour.

 

[Busybee]

jenkinsbrynmair and masterBK, thank you for your valued knowledge and input.

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

MasterBK and Emyr -

Do you carry on a rolling demaree until swarm season has finished?

If no rolling, do you just move the top brood box(es) back down to a "standard" hive configuration? Does this happen when all the brood has emerged or can it happen earlier?


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[jenkinsbrynmair]

depends

 

[masterBK]

Not usually as I use the bees in many of the demaree tops to stock mating nuclei. Sometimes I use a swarm/split board and get a queen mated and laying in top BC and then remove old queen in the bottom BC and unite both BCs. With a young queen that usually (but not always) means the end of swarm checks on that colony for the year.