Problems with Snelgrove II Modified - Wally Shaw

[user 3509]

We have been using the Wally Shaw method for a couple of years with great success, but this year we have encountered some problems. Two out of the three colonies that we have used the method on the queen has swarmed a couple of days after being put back into the brood box in the original position. We have knocked down any queen cells on the two frames of brood in that box, before putting the queen back in on day 9. We are not doing anything different from previous seasons, but for some reason they have swarmed. Would it be an idea to use a queen excluder as a queen includer under the brood box for a week when putting the queen back into the original brood box?

 

[B+.]

Would it be an idea to use a queen excluder as a queen includer under the brood box for a week when putting the queen back into the original brood box?

How would the drones get out?

 

[user 3509]

Surely it would be better to stop the drones getting out for a week than having the queen swarm? These hives are in an out apiary so they are not monitored on a daily basis.

 

[B+.]

Surely it would be better to stop the drones getting out for a week than having the queen swarm? These hives are in an out apiary so they are not monitored on a daily basis.

Drones are attracted to the light when they are mature. If they can't get out, they'll get stuck in the excluder

 

[Erichalfbee]

How long after putting the queen back did the bees swarm ?

 

[Millet]

Drones are attracted to the light when they are mature. If they can't get out, they'll get stuck in the excluder

Horrible sight to see i would rather loose a swarm than slowly kill the drones, but that is the way i feel about the bees, many folk are different.

 

[enrico]

I don't think any method is totally foolproof, all you can do is try your best and if they swarm then they swarm! Hope you got the swarms back

E

 

[user 3509]

We can’t be sure when they swarmed as the hives are in an out apiary, which only gets checked every 6-7 days. They both swarmed in that period of time, and no we didn’t get the swarms back.

 

[Erichalfbee]

We can’t be sure when they swarmed as the hives are in an out apiary, which only gets checked every 6-7 days. They both swarmed in that period of time, and no we didn’t get the swarms back.

I put a piece of QX over the entrance when I do a Pagden so maybe it's worth trying.
When I did Wally's method I always went back into the queen right box three days later to check for queen cells.