oliverwoodman
New Bee
if you find charged but unsealed queen cells and find and remove the queen will this prevent swarming?
remove queen
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galileo
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Yes, as long as you also remove all but one of said cells. Leave one with a big fat larva in it but cull the rest otherwise you'll run the risk of a swarm issuing with the first emerging Queen and possibly subsequent casts if the colony is confident and affluent.
Only leave the one single cell if you have more than a one colony. Leaving one is likely to lead to total queenlessness.
The normal procedure is an artificial swarming manipulation . Look up Padgen method
The normal procedure is an artificial swarming manipulation . Look up Padgen method
richardbees
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" and find and remove the queen will this prevent swarming?"
Ho ho ho...yes that will 100% prevent swarming !
Ho ho ho...yes that will 100% prevent swarming !
Ho ho ho...yes that will 100% prevent swarming !
Really useful for a beginner?
Really useful for a beginner?
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Yes. Pagden AS
Tried and trusted and effective.
At this time of year it's a good idea to have the kit ready to go and either at or near the apiary.
Tried and trusted and effective.
At this time of year it's a good idea to have the kit ready to go and either at or near the apiary.
Heather
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Oliver.. a little more info would be useful.
If swarm cells seen, then a good time to split the hive. Remove the frame with the queen on to another hive. Transfer 3 frames , some with brood some with stores.
In the original hive leave one queen cell only (some people leave 2, but you may JUST get that original colony swarming as both queens emerge.)
Fill both hives with new frames to make up to be full.
Put the queen cell hive in new place and return the queen in her hive to her old place. Then all flyers from the new hive will return to the old hive, and that will have the appearance of a swarmed colony.
If swarm cells seen, then a good time to split the hive. Remove the frame with the queen on to another hive. Transfer 3 frames , some with brood some with stores.
In the original hive leave one queen cell only (some people leave 2, but you may JUST get that original colony swarming as both queens emerge.)
Fill both hives with new frames to make up to be full.
Put the queen cell hive in new place and return the queen in her hive to her old place. Then all flyers from the new hive will return to the old hive, and that will have the appearance of a swarmed colony.
Davelin
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OP wasn't about AS, simply removing queen.
Not a very certain method of reducing swarming urge but may do the trick. However if you leave more than one QC first emerging queen may take off, if you only leave one QC and it fails you are in trouble.
It would be safer to carry out an artificial swarm, then when you are sure your new queen is laying well you can kill your old queen and combine. More work but more reliable.
Not a very certain method of reducing swarming urge but may do the trick. However if you leave more than one QC first emerging queen may take off, if you only leave one QC and it fails you are in trouble.
It would be safer to carry out an artificial swarm, then when you are sure your new queen is laying well you can kill your old queen and combine. More work but more reliable.
Too true. They would almost certainly swarm. Poster is asking a question that could simply get the correct answer - NO!
No real difference than clipped queen getting lost and bees returning to the hive at an initial swarm. All it buys is a few days in time. They will be off. Think about it. Even more bees than when the queen was removed (especially if the poster means just the queen, were in swarm mode, so still in swarm mode. Inevitable that they would go. All the same, leaving one cell, if you have no backup, is a good way to achieve queenlessness.
There lies the problem with a simplistic question. The poster won't get the answer they want to see.
No real difference than clipped queen getting lost and bees returning to the hive at an initial swarm. All it buys is a few days in time. They will be off. Think about it. Even more bees than when the queen was removed (especially if the poster means just the queen, were in swarm mode, so still in swarm mode. Inevitable that they would go. All the same, leaving one cell, if you have no backup, is a good way to achieve queenlessness.
There lies the problem with a simplistic question. The poster won't get the answer they want to see.
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No it won't stop swarming.
It wont even stop swarming if you remove the queen and ALL the queen cells, because they will simply make more queen cells from eggs or young larvae.
(and it goes without saying leaving one queen cells will also not prevent swarming in this situation).
However, it WILL stop swarming if you inspect again a week later and reduce to a single queen cell, at which point they can't make any new queen cells.
This approach is not to be recommended though - all eggs in one basket, and queen matings from large colonies seem to take longer and fail more often in my experience, although I can only guess why.
It wont even stop swarming if you remove the queen and ALL the queen cells, because they will simply make more queen cells from eggs or young larvae.
(and it goes without saying leaving one queen cells will also not prevent swarming in this situation).
However, it WILL stop swarming if you inspect again a week later and reduce to a single queen cell, at which point they can't make any new queen cells.
This approach is not to be recommended though - all eggs in one basket, and queen matings from large colonies seem to take longer and fail more often in my experience, although I can only guess why.
itma
Queen Bee
Some say that the "nuc method" of swarm control (removing Q and a small proto-colony to a nuc to be kept as insurance, and reducing QCs in the main hive to just one - which also involves culling emergency cells) maximises the honey crop - as a result of keeping the maximum number of foragers and developing brood together as a single colony.
Whatever the upside, the potential downside should you miss a QC is a humungously large 'cast' swarm.
Local SBI seems to love this method. I'm not convinced its for everyone.
Whatever the upside, the potential downside should you miss a QC is a humungously large 'cast' swarm.
Local SBI seems to love this method. I'm not convinced its for everyone.
richardbees
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"you find charged but unsealed queen cells and find and remove the queen will this prevent swarming?"
Oliver and Chris B - this is the original question.
Oliver and Chris B - this is the original question.
itma
Queen Bee
And the answer is no - not by only removing Q.
You also need to follow up and limit the QCs to prevent losing 'cast' swarms headed by recently-emerged virgin queens.
richardbees
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"And the answer is no"
Sorry itma but I reiterate imho the correct answer is still Yes,
it will prevent swarming albeit just for the time being.
It's not unknown for new beekeepers who forgot weekly inspections to find the hive area milling with bees and needing a few days grace to catch up.
richard
Sorry itma but I reiterate imho the correct answer is still Yes,
it will prevent swarming albeit just for the time being.
It's not unknown for new beekeepers who forgot weekly inspections to find the hive area milling with bees and needing a few days grace to catch up.
richard
The answer is 'no'. Get it yet? Ho ho ho.
