Queens

[Skyhook]

Bless ya thank you for your reply,the queens are inported mated Buckfast queens ,arn`t i right in thinking that eventuality that will make my bees pure Buckfast ? i hope so that`s what i was lead to beleive.

Within a few weeks your bees will be buckfasts. The issue comes (if it comes at all) a) if you raise new queens and they are mated by the local mongrels, or b) if local beeks are raising new queens and they are mated by your Buckfast drones.

 

[lapdogsx5]

Within a few weeks your bees will be buckfasts. The issue comes (if it comes at all) a) if you raise new queens and they are mated by the local mongrels, or b) if local beeks are raising new queens and they are mated by your Buckfast drones.

Thank you Just as i thought .

 

[Baggyone]

Which is me, as I raise my own queens. And I'm in the centre of Boston. But I'm a game beekeeper who does flood the area with own drones to ensure good mating in both apiaries.

Another question that I have is as the OP has the queens in mating hives whats the plan once the original queens have been squished?

My own plan would be to install new queens in spare hives. At night time move the original hives to new spot. Put new hives with new queens in the original hive positions. Next morning, flying bees will leave old hives and return to new ones headed by the buckfast queens. That will reduce the number of bees in the old hives making it easier to find queenie.

Further to this, to increase the new colonies quicker. Open the old hives and shake the bees off the frames and give the ones with capped brood to the new ones. The old colony will have less brood frames and therefore less frames for queen to be found on. Should be able to find her on these frames now.
Once squished, unite the two colonies using the newspaper method.

I'd come and help but I'm majorly time constrained this week and next, and you need to find a solution quick to ensure they don't buzz off when the mating hives are full.

baggy

 

[lapdogsx5]

Which is me, as I raise my own queens. And I'm in the centre of Boston. But I'm a game beekeeper who does flood the area with own drones to ensure good mating in both apiaries.

Another question that I have is as the OP has the queens in mating hives whats the plan once the original queens have been squished?

My own plan would be to install new queens in spare hives. At night time move the original hives to new spot. Put new hives with new queens in the original hive positions. Next morning, flying bees will leave old hives and return to new ones headed by the buckfast queens. That will reduce the number of bees in the old hives making it easier to find queenie.

Further to this, to increase the new colonies quicker. Open the old hives and shake the bees off the frames and give the ones with capped brood to the new ones. The old colony will have less brood frames and therefore less frames for queen to be found on. Should be able to find her on these frames now.
Once squished, unite the two colonies using the newspaper method.

I'd come and help but I'm majorly time constrained this week and next, and you need to find a solution quick to ensure they don't buzz off when the mating hives are full.

baggy

Thanks baggy that sounds easy.Not sure i understand your question but if you mean if or once i`ve found the old queens what`s our plan on how to get the buckfast queens in the hive`s.if our understanding is right we plan on leaving the hive queenless for 24hrs and then introduse the buckfast queen in a queen cage.Is that right ?

If we don`t find the old queens we were woundering if we put the buckfast queens with the bees there now with in a nuc would they have a better chance of survival ?or wouldn`t they survive in a nuc trou the winter ?

Carole

 

[Baggyone]

correct on the introduction method. Assuming you get the nuc boxes up to strength quick enough and get it well fed there is no reason that a nuc won't make it through winter. Open up early in the year, see how you want to go and you have a choice on running more hives or selling off colonies back down to how many you want to run.

Remember at the back of your mind should be that with possibly 8 hives you would need to have a market for the honey you produce. The town is blessed with plenty of honey so its a difficult thing.

Selling nucs or colonies is an easier option, so is eating gallons of honey a year.

Baggy

 

[lapdogsx5]

correct on the introduction method. Assuming you get the nuc boxes up to strength quick enough and get it well fed there is no reason that a nuc won't make it through winter. Open up early in the year, see how you want to go and you have a choice on running more hives or selling off colonies back down to how many you want to run.

Remember at the back of your mind should be that with possibly 8 hives you would need to have a market for the honey you produce. The town is blessed with plenty of honey so its a difficult thing.

Selling nucs or colonies is an easier option, so is eating gallons of honey a year.

Baggy

Thank`s Baggy been thinking about this most of the day and i ordered the nucs this afternoon just felt it`s the right way for us to go so i`m pleased you`ve said they`ll go trou the winter ok.

Had a quick look in the mating hives this afternoon and it`s full of bees and brood, so we thought we would try and attach the frames from the mating hive to a couple of frame from the nuc somehow ,seems a shame to let the brood go to wast when it could be helping to build the nuc up.

Thanks to everyone for your help,

Carole