Split nearly Queen right

[beesrus]

I recently created a nuc/split from a strong hive without a laying queen in, i just took brood, is this referred to as a split or nuc?

Also, as there was no queen present they are trying to raise a new queen. After about 9 days i have 5 queen cells but as yet no queen. Should i destroy the queen cells and leave 1-2 present or leave them all and let the queens fight it out? The colony is not strong at all and i'm raising the new queen for resilience only as i believe one of my other hives maybe queenless.

Any suggestions? my overall plan is to recombine this colony with another hive i lost a swarm from earlier this year.

thus transferring bees from hive 2 (strong) to hive 1 (weak)

Thanks

 

[Eyeman]

Also, as there was no queen present they are trying to raise a new queen.

They will be raising emergency queen cells- these are usually inferior to swarm and supercedure QC's.

After about 9 days i have 5 queen cells but as yet no queen.

I would quickly look inside the nuc and if the QC's are still uncapped choose the one with the biggest / fattest larvae in as this one will have the best chance of producing a good queen. If they are all capped then your choice is limited. Some QC's wont have anything in them!.

Should i destroy the queen cells and leave 1-2 present or leave them all and let the queens fight it out?

I would only leave one queen cell and remove the remaining ones- others would leave 2 queen cells for insurance incase one doesn't emerge. If you can see the larvae then I would definitely only leave one queen cell.

The colony is not strong at all and i'm raising the new queen for resilience only as i believe one of my other hives maybe queenless.

Weak colonies are not good for producing good queen cells. You may be better off buying a new queen rather than trying to raise inferior ones from weak colonies.
I will have some mated queens in a week or two- so if you decide to buy then send me a pm- I live nearby in Chorlton.

 

[Midland Beek]

Splitting a colony before the appearance of queen cells to create a queenless nuc is something that no one does. What book did you learn that from!?

 

[m100]

Splitting a colony before the appearance of queen cells to create a queenless nuc is something that no one does.

No one?

Why ever not?

 

[Haughton Honey]

Splitting a colony before the appearance of queen cells to create a queenless nuc is something that no one does. What book did you learn that from!?

Um.

 

[Hivemaker.]

If the colony that is raising the queen is strong in young bee's to feed the queen cell,and a little selection of the right age of cell takes place, then the queen produced will be a perfectly good queen...in no way inferior at all.

 

[beesrus]

Thanks all, I think I will destroy all but the first 2 QC's that developed I think it best to have some degree of insurance.

As for splitting the hive without a QC present, well unfortunately I had little choice as I thought my main hive was queenless. And I'm a tight arse so didn't want to buy one, the offer however might come in handy so I will PM should that be necessary.

The point about inferiority is a good one and one I shall research further as I cannot understand on the face of it why this would be. Genetics are genetics at the end of the day, it would be like saying a planned child is superior to an unplanned one!!! Food for thought!!!

With regard to the colony personel well I believe there is an appropriate number of workers in each job role so fingers crossed the new queens will be well tended to.

Thanks to all who replied.

 

[oliver90owner]

I could not understand the reasoning or the planning of this thread. Wondered why a frame of eggs was not simply added to the queenless colony - and I can think of better ways to transfer bees from one colony to another. Good job we are not all the same.

RAB

 

[Eyeman]

The point about inferiority is a good one and one I shall research further as I cannot understand on the face of it why this would be. Genetics are genetics at the end of the day, it would be like saying a planned child is superior to an unplanned one!!! Food for thought!!!

Quality queens are produced from well fed larvae. To get the larvae well fed at the right time the colony must be ready for the job and in their peak condition with an abundance of nurse bees. When bees make swarm and supercedure cells conditions are usually just right. Your colony was forced into rearing a queen when it wasn't prepared so the queens are likely to be of an inferior quality.

Food for thought!!!

Yes it's all in the feeding.
Best of luck anyway. I would recommend you join cheshire beekeepers they have a branch in Stockport- google cheshire beekeepers association.

 

[beesrus]

Adding a frame of eggs is a good idea one I didn't know I could do, that will certainly be a good strategy for next time.

Thanks for the info about Queen inferiority, a very valid point, I should be in a better position to 1. Reduce the likelyhood of swarming and 2. Know the best strategy to compensate by next spring I thought as a new beekeeper I may make little mistakes but so far I have 1 very strong healthy colony and another well on track to recoop by the end of the year.

Thanks for the info about Cheshire BKA i literally joined 2 days ago.

Marc