Rolling Demaree

[Do224]

I think it’s called a rolling demaree when you rotate emerged frames from the top box with newly brooded frames from the bottom box (where the queen is)?

I guess this extends the useful life of the demaree by constantly reducing congestion in the bottom box and delaying swarm preps further.

I understand that when the demaree is first done you need to check for queen cells in the top box a week later and tear them down. But what happens when you start rotating frames…will the bees keep making emergency cells every time you put a new frame of brood in the top box?

(Obviously not something I’m doing right now…just keen to understand)

 

[Erichalfbee]

will the bees keep making emergency cells every time you put a new frame of brood in the top box?

Not when I’ve done it. I try to put capped brood only up.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

will the bees keep making emergency cells every time you put a new frame of brood in the top box?

yes they will, or rather they'll make supersedure cells (they are not made on the emergency instinct as they know there is still a queen present, albeit they're only getting a weak pheromone signal in the top box) unless you ensure they only get capped/older brood from the bottom box. I run quite a few Demarree's and usually end up with a few colonies running with two queens - the original in the bottom box and a new one in the top.