Reuniting a split colony

[MerryBee]

Last week I split a colony that was building queen cells. I removed the queen to a nuc with a frame of brood and a frame of stores. The colony I split was not big, only five frames of brood, and was itself made from a similar split at the end of April. So I was rather surprised it was making QCs already.

Anyway, I would like to reunite the nuc with the original colony as soon as possible. I would like some honey off this hive this year, and I dont want an extra colony.

So my question is: How long should I leave the original colony queenless, so that it loses its urge to swarm, before reuniting with the queenright nuc.

Thanks.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Last week I split a colony that was building queen cells. I removed the queen to a nuc with a frame of brood and a frame of stores. The colony I split was not big, only five frames of brood, and was itself made from a similar split at the end of April. So I was rather surprised it was making QCs already.

Anyway, I would like to reunite the nuc with the original colony as soon as possible. I would like some honey off this hive this year, and I dont want an extra colony.

So my question is: How long should I leave the original colony queenless, so that it loses its urge to swarm, before reuniting with the queenright nuc.

Thanks.

Since no-one else has answered, let me ask a question. When you say Queen Cells, what EXACTLY did you see? Oh and read the Welsh WBKA leaflet "There are queen cells in my hive": you can google it as easily as I can.

<ADD> Depending on your answer, the colony without the Q in it should not be "queenless".<ENDADD>

 

[mjt68]

Last week I split a colony that was building queen cells. I removed the queen to a nuc with a frame of brood and a frame of stores. The colony I split was not big, only five frames of brood, and was itself made from a similar split at the end of April. So I was rather surprised it was making QCs already.

Anyway, I would like to reunite the nuc with the original colony as soon as possible. I would like some honey off this hive this year, and I dont want an extra colony.

So my question is: How long should I leave the original colony queenless, so that it loses its urge to swarm, before reuniting with the queenright nuc.

Thanks.

So have one other Q+ colony and then this 5 frame colony which started building QCs, correct? You then took Q and two frames away so you now have one colony (what size?) plus one 3 frame nuc (Q-) and one 2 frame nuc (Q+)? That's quite a few small colonies!

Have you been feeding? Any supers? Was the colony honey/syrup-bound? What's going in the other colony? How many frames are they on?

 

[MerryBee]

Apologies for not giving a full enough description.
The colony had built 5 or 6 queen cells across 2 brood frames. 2 or 3 were near the top bar 2 near the edge, and 1 at the bottom. I left one good QC in the part without the queen. The queen was removed to the nuc with a frame of brood (no QCs) a frame of stores 1 frame of drawn comb and 2 of foundation. This left the "main colony" with 4 frames of brood, 1 good open QC , no queen, plenty of stores, 1 partly filled super. I will return after 7 days to remove any emergency cells which have been built and leave the one good sealed QC from which to raise a new queen.

Except that I dont want to raise a new queen, so could just remove all the QCs and leave queenless and then reunite with the Q+ nuc. But how long do I need to wait if I decide on this course of action.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Ah: that's much clearer; thanks. I don't claim to have the answer, but then nor do many people I think, so it's a matter of hit and hope (keeping an eye open for more swarm activity). See this current thread on nearly exactly the same topic, that reaches that conclusion. http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=34292

 

[MerryBee]

so you now have one colony (what size?) plus one 3 frame nuc (Q-) and one 2 frame nuc (Q+)? That's quite a few small colonies!

No you misunderstand.. I now have 1 nuc with queen and 1 frame of brood and 1 stores.
And I have the original colony, now with 4 frames of brood and one QC (sealed by now).

No feeding, one super with plenty of room, enough room in the brood box for Q to lay, not honey bound. That is why I was surprised when QCs were built for no obvious reason

 

[MerryBee]

Ah: that's much clearer; thanks. I don't claim to have the answer, but then nor do many people I think, so it's a matter of hit and hope (keeping an eye open for more swarm activity). See this current thread on nearly exactly the same topic, that reaches that conclusion. http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=34292

Thanks for the link to the other thread.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

If you think it's a swarmy strain, and the Q is not local, you could try out the daughter and hope to breed it out a bit. The cost is a slower reunite and you really need to reunite to have a hope of a crop.

 

[Swinton apiaries]

If I was you I would let them get a new queen and see how she go on as this is a very small colony for this time of year so you may have a porly mated original queen if the newly mated queen builds up better then thumb the original queen it's is I'm my case not law

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

It might be an idea to check for varroa and possible other disorders.