Queen rearing started in the Beehaus today

[gandalfwhitewizard]

We went to help out at the Kent County Show on the Omlet stand and came away with an idea how to adapt the divider board for Queen rearing.
I have now inserted a small amount of Q/X into the top of the divider board so that nursebees can get to the correct side of the hive.
It took me less than 10 minutes to set the hive up a fraction of the time using conventional BB's and less lifting - much better for my back (slipped discs and facet joint problems).
So as an experiment I shall see how it goes and when i can get time upload the photos showing my adapted divider board! I know that Omlet have a prototype with the Q/X incorporated into the divider board but I couldn't wait to raise some more queens.
The v. 2 Beehaus is much better with fit and improved all round. IMO.

 

[beebreeder]

I run bolth the dartington and a beehaus, the dartington is so simple to raise queens in as the divider fits anywhere along the hive body so the cell raiser can be as big or small as you want, no q ex just start a q/less colony in other end by moving bees and brood from main hive to other end, bees seem to re orientate quickly with little loss in numbers then rear queens in the normal way with a q/less starter/ finisher. The Beehaus is a little different, as when checking last week the central divider now has a 8-12mm gap between it and the correx sidewall on the side that gets least sun, the hive is still level so its not due to twisting, q/rearing would entail a seperate movable divider probably ply as its what i have in stock.
kev

 

[oliver90owner]

beebreeder,

Yes the Dartingtons are much more 'amenable'. One can make the extended version (longer sides and more 1/2 supers if one wishes (at the building stage, of course), one can drill holes through the wood to make extra entrances/exits if one wishes (for multiple queen rearing units) using extra dividers, of course. The only small hassle is making sure they are bee-tight at the tops of the dividers.

Me? I just split the brood, like you, and await supercedure cells. Then remove those frames to other waiting nuclei. I already have a vertical Q/E made from a wood frame with a WBC (I think) slotted excluder if I should need one. Basically a modified divider really.

Thanks, I will check out the divider in my Beehaus when in full sun - there may be another problem, (or perhaps that is one reason behind the modified inner brood walls having a fixed slot for the divider.......?

Regards, RAB

 

[jezd]

nice idea this, must admit I have neglected my Beehaus this year but do like the idea of using it for queen rearing

 

[BuzzWorker]

beebreeder,

Yes the Dartingtons are much more 'amenable'. One can make the extended version (longer sides and more 1/2 supers if one wishes (at the building stage, of course), one can drill holes through the wood to make extra entrances/exits if one wishes (for multiple queen rearing units) using extra dividers, of course. The only small hassle is making sure they are bee-tight at the tops of the dividers.

Me? I just split the brood, like you, and await supercedure cells. Then remove those frames to other waiting nuclei. I already have a vertical Q/E made from a wood frame with a WBC (I think) slotted excluder if I should need one. Basically a modified divider really.

Thanks, I will check out the divider in my Beehaus when in full sun - there may be another problem, (or perhaps that is one reason behind the modified inner brood walls having a fixed slot for the divider.......?

Regards, RAB

I used to use dividers that fitted under the coverboards and so could be placed anywhere along the body. But it was fiddly making sure the top gap was not too large. So now the plans provide for didivers that push up between the covers, or between the honeyboxes if on. These dividers are 369mm square, easier as it does not matter which way you put them in.
I gave up rearing extra queens by dividing the long body with extra dividers as it was difficult to get deep frames out of the small nucs (works better with standard or shallow frames). So now I search for any honeyboxes where the queen has gone up (I don't use excluders) and use shallow frames with brood to make up queen mating nucs. I exchange one honeyframe in a honeybox for a shallow frame with brood, pin on a sealed queen cell cut from a brood frame, place the honeybox on a clearer board with a nick in the edge as an entrance, close the escape hole with mesh to let warm air circulate - and sit the honeybox back on an occupied hive. Usually this is combined with dividing a swarming colony into 'swarm' and 'parent' with the parent being left with just one cell. The honeybox mating hive then gives me a spare queen - or two boxes give two - as a precaution against the main hive failing to requeen (as happens).
Requeening any hive is easy by just placing the honeybox on and uniting with newspaper. Any nucs left over are placed over a carry box with deep frames and fed to encourage them to grow down into the deep frames in time to winter as a spare colony on 6 deep frames and a honeybox (with insulation tied to the sides of the carry box).

 

[oliver90owner]

Robin,

Yes, the LDHs are very amenable when it comes to choice of use. I do get quite an amount of honey from mine but they are 'chopped' around in the swarming season (using whatever frames have a good queen cell) for distribution to nuc boxes or other boxes.

The colonies are so early in their spring build up and are not restricted to say 12 frames, so with frames moved back, and a super over for her (to lay up as required), those ensuing huge colonies are the targets for nuc building - queen cells and donor bees with frames! They complement the Nationals which are migrated to the crops.

And yes, a honey-box over a carry-box as an overwintering set-up is really about the same size as a standard National brood box. Loads of spare bees in the springtime.

I would appreciate any later improvements/modifications to your plans, if they are available. The only real mod I made was to position runners at the inner bottoms of the hive sides so I can slide in a board, for checking varroa mite drop, thymol treatment, etc.

Regards, RAB