Qx beneath AS - it works!

[LeaBaileyBees]

This was my first experience of using a Qx beneath the queen/flyers/foundation part of the procedure. I either missed a QC on the frame of brood I put in to encourage them to stay (!) or else there was something amiss and they tried to abscond.

Anyway only 25 minutes ago, they were streaming out and now they are nearly all back again.

My questions are.....does anyone have experience of them trying this a second time? Or can I take the Qx away tomorrow when I double check them for QCs?

Your experiences appreciated. Thanks.....Sally

 

[Erichalfbee]

I've never put a QX under an AS.
It shouldn't be difficult to spot QCs on the one frame of brood with the queen you are moving but hey, stuff happens so I always go back into BOTH boxes 5 days after AS.

How long ago did you AS the colony?

 

[For want of a better word]

I suppose clipping the queen's wings may have a similar effect as using a qe under the AS?
I have not tried that either
The type of bees I want to keep are not swarmy !

 

[LeaBaileyBees]

EricA. Yes, I know, it's a bit embarassing missing a queen cell on one frame, but they can be tricky little critters. I only did the AS two days ago - 22nd.

Has anyone out there used a Qx beneath, had a swarm go out and come back, and then lost the swarm after the Qx was subsequently removed?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Has anyone out there used a Qx beneath, had a swarm go out and come back, and then lost the swarm after the Qx was subsequently removed?

Ahhhh SWARM that's another animal.....
have seen just that

 

[Arfermo]

I suppose clipping the queen's wings may have a similar effect as using a qe under the AS?
I have not tried that either
The type of bees I want to keep are not swarmy !

Like it or not all bees will swarm at some time. That's why clipping really is best all round.

 

[dclewis]

This year I have put a Qx under my As's. All Q's clipped, no brood in the As part just foundation and supers above. One of them tried to abscond. Watched in horror as the bees exited en mass but they were back within half an hour. The Q however had got through the QX and I found her and a cluster of bees in the breeze blocks that support the hive a day later. So she definately had slimmed down for her flight and would have got away had she not been clipped.

 

[oliver90owner]

This year I have put a Qx under my As's.

Virtually pointless. Leaving the frame (with brood) where the queen was found (usually) is sooo simple and prevents absconding in virtually all cases. It can be removed as soon as another frame has brood, if you really want to.

So no real need to lift boxes about, unless you are not going to be able to check for queen cells a few days after the A/S (or are too lazy - can hardly be the case if you are already making extra work for yourself!)

Seems fairly pointless with clipped queens, too, from the above account.

 

[Nuc]

I didn't know that you have to check for q cells after an AS. Presume that is just in the BB with the old Q. How long after the AS should i check. I ask because i fear my first ever AS is imminent this weekend. Still much more to know than i have learned. Thanks.

 

[SimonB]

Presume that is just in the BB with the old Q.

No, it is more important IMO to check the parent. Checking the AS part is just for peace of mind that QCs were not missed.

How long after the AS should i check.

4-5 days seems common - sufficient time for remaining eggs/larvae to progress beyond the point that they are suitable source material for emergency QCs. It seems common for the bees to increase their chances by forging emergency QCs if they have been reduced to just one or two by the beekeeper. It also gives you an opportunity to recheck in case any were missed.

 

[Jeff Buzz]

This year I have put a Qx under my As's.

Virtually pointless. Leaving the frame (with brood) where the queen was found (usually) is sooo simple and prevents absconding in virtually all cases. It can be removed as soon as another frame has brood, if you really want to.

So no real need to lift boxes about, unless you are not going to be able to check for queen cells a few days after the A/S (or are too lazy - can hardly be the case if you are already making extra work for yourself!)

Seems fairly pointless with clipped queens, too, from the above account.

I did AS this week. Queen in new box with new foundation on one frame of brood ...No Queen cells for sure and she still swarmed Just working round my hives clipping she was one of the last to do always hard to find
So now all my queens will get clipped and I will probably put a QE under for a few days to make sure

 

[flemage]

Hi Nuc

Oh yes! You need to go back in and check the part with the old queen in it a few days after.

I also didnt know this (or had missed it in reading) and of course turned up to see bees every where!

I belive part of the system where she only has one frame of brood to keep her in place with the rest foundation is to 'shock' the bees in this part of the split so that they either think they have swarmed or put them off swarming this didnt happen in my case and they had younge lava/eggs so made new queen cells. I had checked the frame i moved very well and carfuly as the queen was on it. But obviasly they realy wanted to go and made new ones. In my case this was completly my fault as i didnt keep up with my inspection dates on this hive.

All my inspection dates now go in the dairy and in put in when i need to go back!

Good luck to all in this.

 

[Finman]

My questions are.....does anyone have experience of them trying this a second time?

I have not experience but I am going to use it in brood part.
I do not pick queen cells and that is why I will but excluder under the broods.
I know that is works.

I do not remember that flyings bees + queen has tried to abscond.

.

 

[oliver90owner]

No Queen cells for sure and she still swarmed

If that were the case, they most certainly did not swarm!!

 

[Finman]

.
Once I had a hive. It swarmed and take tha laying queen with it.

Then there was a gang left. I stopped their swarming by taking all queen cells off. Brood emerged and gove to them a better laying queen. Next time when I come to look the hive, there was not a single bee. It was empty.