Query-Introducing QC's to unknown QR/QL Cast ?

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shudderdun

House Bee
Joined
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Location
North West
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National
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I collected a cast swarm from one of my own colonies on 18th June and put them in a nuc. I am not sure if its too soon to open it up and check for eggs/brood/Queen ?

However,*I have another colony I did an A/S on, on Wed 26th June that same day, two of the the three QC were capped. As Enrico has suggested I can remove two of the three QC as I am certain all three are charged. (I dont want to be running around after cast swarms like I had to do earlier this month !!!)

So my question is :-*

Could I put one of the sealed QC,s in the nuc as some sort of insurance in case I dont have a queen (that has survived) in there that arrived with the cast when I nuc,ed them, or has mated and not yet laid, or even got lost on a mating flight.

I appreciate someone might suggest to just go through them, but I dont want to disturb them too much should I not see anything obvious and then spend too much time looking for Q and mess her up if she is about to lay.

The QC are due to be hatched around 1st/2nd July.

Seems a shame to waste them.

Thanks
 
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I personally wouldn't unless I had reason to believe the cast was queen less. You are just creating conflict that probably won't be necessary, however I apologise if it turns out that the cast queen is useless. A choice you have to make methinks, not me!
E
 
OK Enrico I will go along with that you advice has always been good. Im not terribly desperate for more bees,its just that they were there.

If all fails suppose I could unite.

Thanks.
 
I collected a cast swarm from one of my own colonies on 18th June and put them in a nuc. I am not sure if its too soon to open it up and check for eggs/brood/Queen ?

However,*I have another colony I did an A/S on, on Wed 26th June that same day, two of the the three QC were capped. As Enrico has suggested I can remove two of the three QC as I am certain all three are charged. (I dont want to be running around after cast swarms like I had to do earlier this month !!!)

So my question is :-*

Could I put one of the sealed QC,s in the nuc as some sort of insurance in case I dont have a queen (that has survived) in there that arrived with the cast when I nuc,ed them, or has mated and not yet laid, or even got lost on a mating flight.

I appreciate someone might suggest to just go through them, but I dont want to disturb them too much should I not see anything obvious and then spend too much time looking for Q and mess her up if she is about to lay.

The QC are due to be hatched around 1st/2nd July.

Seems a shame to waste them.

Thanks
If there's a queen in the nuc then the q/cell will be chewed up for sure
 
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1 ) I do not use queens from unknown source. They must be good.

Swarm queen is basicly bad quality because it has natural instincts to swarm. How mad to swarm and how good layer? I am not going to wait one year to see it.

2) It takes too muchj time to make a laying queen from swarming cell and quality is bad for swarming habit.

It takes 3 weeks before new queen lays. With buyed laying queen you get one brood cycle from the colony.

.

.
 
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Your cast should have a queen and a good chance she is laying by now. I would take a look inside.

As for extra queen cells if you have the kit and spare bees you can always make up a small nuc with a queen cell it may give you a spare queen.
 
Your cast should have a queen and a good chance she is laying by now. I would take a look inside.

As for extra queen cells if you have the kit and spare bees you can always make up a small nuc with a queen cell it may give you a spare queen.[/QUOTE

Can someone direct me to a good site explaining this please ?

Thanks
 

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