Requeening end of September

[Rivachaz]

Hi

Newbie beek here, please bee kind .

I have a colony that’s lost its queen last week. I have managed to get a mated queen which arrived today. I’ve taken
Out the attendants, and made sure that the play cups and emergency queen cells have been taken down during the week.

She’s in the middle of the colony frame for 48 hours this evening , and then i’ll Break the candy tabs open, and let them work through it.

Any other suggestions or ideas to get a successful intro and acceptance ?

What’s the best way to see if she’s been accepted ? Other than checking in a week for eggs ?

Regards Andrew

 

[Curly green finger's]

Hi

Newbie beek here, please bee kind .

I have a colony that’s lost its queen last week. I have managed to get a mated queen which arrived today. I’ve taken
Out the attendants, and made sure that the play cups and emergency queen cells have been taken down during the week.

She’s in the middle of the colony frame for 48 hours this evening , and then i’ll Break the candy tabs open, and let them work through it.

Any other suggestions or ideas to get a successful intro and acceptance ?

What’s the best way to see if she’s been accepted ? Other than checking in a week for eggs ?

Regards Andrew

Feed really well and cross your fingers leave them alone for a couple of weeks.

 

[Rivachaz]

Feed really well and cross your fingers leave them alone for a couple of weeks.

Fab- I heard that putting masking tape with a smaller hole over the candy fondant open tabs can delay them a few days whilst they eat through?

 

[ericbeaumont]

lost its queen last week

How?

 

[Rivachaz]

How?

Not sure- but found her outside the hive on the floor, it’s possible I might have rolled her when inspecting.

 

[ericbeaumont]

might have rolled her when inspecting.

We've all done it. Stick to CGF's advice: feed & leave well alone for a couple of weeks, and let us know the outcome.

 

[Ian123]

When you inspected the hive after finding the queen outside did you find multiple queen cells of a suitable age to suggest you did indeed squish her….. if not the bees themselves may have replaced her.
If that’s the case there may well be another queen there already.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Fab- I heard that putting masking tape with a smaller hole over the candy fondant open tabs can delay them a few days whilst they eat through?

Never tried that before , I would just stick to releasing the queen normally, @Ian123 - I’ve had two queens in residence for two months both marked old queen was under the floor yesterday young queen isn’t laying well so I United them with there neubour.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Fab- I heard that putting masking tape with a smaller hole over the candy fondant open tabs can delay them a few days whilst they eat through?

you've left the tabs on for 48 hours before removing them - that is more than a long enough delay

 

[Rivachaz]

When you inspected the hive after finding the queen outside did you find multiple queen cells of a suitable age to suggest you did indeed squish her….. if not the bees themselves may have replaced her.
If that’s the case there may well be another queen there already.

Yes found multiple cells , some being filled with larvae , and royal jelly.
Other just open small cups being built.
The week before ,there was
Nothing .

 

[Rivachaz]

you've left the tabs on for 48 hours before removing them - that is more than a long enough delay

Earlier today the tab on the queen cage was removed. I noticed that the capped brood has now hatched, and hardly any open stores of nectar /pollen, just capped honey on the top of the frames and corners . It’s almost is if the capped brood has hatched and all the stores have been used up whilst waiting for a queen .

The weight of the hive is very light compared to the other colony . I’ll give them a good week, check for a successful queen intro. Hopefully by then some eggs will have been laid for autumn and the stores will resume as they have been “refreshed” with a queen again?

Just panicking that if eggs are laid by the queen in the next week or so that the colony can pick back up. If not then I’ll have to unite with the first colony and kill the queen.

 

[user 819]

Start feeding them pronto , a good influx of new stores will /should get her laying . Don't mess with a 4 pint rapid feeder stick a miller/ashforth feeder on and a couple of gallons of feed.

If broodless then also OAV them if you haven't yet treated them.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I doubt the new queen will start laying for a while yet - but you definitely need to slap on a few pints of syrup - it looks like they need a feed, and it will also help the bees accept the new queen.
there is plenty of time left for the colony to build up and lay in a store of winter bees. The less you fiddle around in the brood box the better now for the new queen to bed in

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

whereabouts in Wales are you @Rivachaz ? It's a big place, especially if you flatten out the lumpy bits.

 

[user 819]

They have all of October and well in to November to produce a decent amount of brood but this needs to be on the back of some decent laid down stores.

 

[user 819]

As JBM has said , now is the time to not be fiddling .
Leave them to it and then in three weeks just lift the CB and don't inspect but just gently smoke the bees away from the seams , simply look down between the seams for the signs of capped brood. Once seen stop and close them up till spring.

 

[Rivachaz]

We've all done it. Stick to CGF's advice: feed & leave well alone for a couple of weeks, and let us know the outcome.

Yes will do

 

[Rivachaz]

whereabouts in Wales are you @Rivachaz ? It's a big place, especially if you flatten out the lumpy bits.

Formally of Pontardawe (26 yrs), but now residing in Llanelli for 18 yrs.

Can I thank you for the straight answers you give here on the forums , it’s straight to the point and cuts out any avoidance of doubt.

 

[Rivachaz]

They have all of October and well in to November to produce a decent amount of brood but this needs to be on the back of some decent laid down stores.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Formally of Pontardawe (26 yrs), but now residing in Llanelli for 18 yrs

I'm so sorry to hear that