Queen cell manipulation

[meirch1]

How do I move queen cells to an empty box and how much brood
I have a single colony at present and my marked queen has gone (last seen 14 days ago), with some of my bees, I seem to have plenty left, but do not wish to have casts, and wish to make an increase into a spare empty hive.

 

[meirch1]

Sorry, I didn't mention I have at least 5 queen cells hanging at the base of one frame and 1 on another.

 

[Winker]

How do I move queen cells to an empty box and how much brood
I have a single colony at present and my marked queen has gone (last seen 14 days ago), with some of my bees, I seem to have plenty left, but do not wish to have casts, and wish to make an increase into a spare empty hive.

Sorry, I didn't mention I have at least 5 queen cells hanging at the base of one frame and 1 on another.

Keep only Once QC, the best looking one. Destroy the other 4 QC and you wont lose anymore bees to cast swarms.

 

[Poly Hive]

Not what the OP asked.

Move your single cell and a couple of frames of brood into your nuc, plus a couple of shakes of bees. Stuff the entrance with grass and they will be fine where you put them in the apiary.

NEVER shake a frame which has queen cells you want to use.

Leave one cell in the other hive.

PH

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Meirch, I may be wrong, but if your old queen left 14 days ago it's highly likley that you already have a virgin queen in the hive somewhere.
I'd do a thorough check first before making a split.

 

[Winker]

Not what the OP asked.


PH

You will note i only answered the part on how to stop him getting cast swarms. I never answered how to make the split.

So i guess i did answer what the OP asked


You would have been more correct in saying i never answered the question fully!

 

[Mike a]

1 strong colony or two half colonies in case one fails over winter

Its not to late if you have some drawn comb and you are prepared to feed them and hopefully build them up to 5-6 frames minimum before winter.

Just bear in mind if the queen emerges today you are looking at approximately *2-3 weeks to mate on average and start laying + 3 more weeks before the new queens bees begin to emerge + 2 weeks before they start foraging to build up stores and by then it will be September and you will need to pray we have another indian summer.

* Some say they have had queens mate within 2 weeks and start laying but for me its always been around the 3 week mark.

 

[meirch1]

Thanks for all this, when I went to do the cull of cells and split, it looks like the NEW queen has got there first - all cells seen yesterday are now torn down, I hope my 2 inspections in 2 days haven't disturbed to the point of workers killing the virgin, would she have mated yet, or is that the next stage.
I intend to leave alone now for up to 21 days by which time I expect to see eggs, if not larvae.
(I expect I missed the queen cups at inspection 2 and a half weeks ago, I presume I have lost a single prime swarm, and luckily the first queen out has done what she should and so there shouldnt be casts?)
All very very interesting!

 

[Poly Hive]

It pays to double check your cells are still there before you set up nucs or other manipulations based on the cells existence.

The bees do change their minds.

PH

 

[Alabamaeee]

I was going to ask a question about mini nucs but don't want to hijack the thread so I have started a new one.

Sorry for the intrusion

 

[Poly Hive]

In my experience mini nucs do not survive the winter.

Not too sure you can get the poly nuc you mention but that is another matter.

You are looking at creating a nuc and then introducing a queen and in fact if you box a bit clever you could do it with newspaper. Just a thought.

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

In my experience mini nucs do not survive the winter.


And in mine they do,and do so very well if you know what your doing.