Prompt swarm advice sought for new keeper.

asol · Jul 13, 2012

The break in the weather allowed me to go in a check the situation.
I had indeed missed some queen cells, after removing a few bees and having looked properly there were several cups, cells with larvae and one sealed cell. I also saw my original queen, she certainly isn't clipped so I don't know why the swarm ended back in the hive.
So I have performed an artificial swarm ensuring there are no queen cells back with the original queen.
In the other hive I've left one cell, the sealed one. Upon reflection and based on other comments should I have removed the sealed cell and left the open cell with the royal jelly feed? If so why is this? Is it purely because I have a better indication of its state of health?
Should I be concerned that its getting late in the season to expect the two hives to build into strong enough colonies for winter?

SimonB · Jul 13, 2012

asol said:
Is it purely because I have a better indication of its state

That's what I've always been led to believe.

Outlander · Jul 13, 2012

Well done Asol it sounds like your getting thing sorted. I think your right about leaving the unsealed cell but hayho you have decided to go with the sealed and I'm sure that's fine so fingers crossed for you on the A/S. Keep us all posted and good luck.

SimonB · Jul 13, 2012

In theory you have a viable queen in the other half of the AS so can always unite them if the new queen fails in anyway.

MJBee · Jul 13, 2012

The artificial swarm manipulation you have performed should satisfy the "swarm urge" of your colony, so it/now they are unlikely to swarm again this season.

Leaving an open queen cell with a nice fat larvae swimming in royal jelly is better than leaving a sealed cell which MAY be empty. Check again in 6 days, you may find they have made more queen cells if they have eggs/larvae young enough.

It is a little late in the season to expect two winter strength colonies but the unite option will produce a super strong colony for the winter and give you a set of drawn frames for expansion next year

asol · Jul 13, 2012

Many thanks for all your words of advice and support.
I truly enlightening experience, my inspections won't be the same again!

Since my original queen is this years I'd perhaps like to keep her as the colony queen.
If the final objective is to recombine when would be the optimum time to do this and how do I manage the queen cells in the queenless hive? Do I allow queens to mature and risk cast swarms or would it be best to recombine prior to all this happening.