Summer holiday

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Lois

House Bee
Joined
May 3, 2010
Messages
305
Reaction score
0
Location
Buxton Norfolk uk
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
2 colonies now! and some spare parts.
I am due to go on holiday soon (next Sunday) and my hive swarmed last sunday during the footy! I knocked down all but one of the q cells and will have a look in tomorrow to check all is well(too windy today), I will check again on Sunday weather permitting. My question is, will they be alright for about 10 days or so or should I get a local beek to check for me? he is really experienced and edits our BKA mag.
 
Go back in and make sure they havent made more emergency cells (knock them off if they have) then you can happily leave them without checking for up to a month
 
Up to a month? I fear not. Stick a queen excluder under the brood box and the queen and your bees will still be there when you get back from holiday - but do make sure they have plenty of room so a second brood chamber and/or a super will help.
 
Stick a queen excluder under the brood box and the queen and your bees will still be there when you get back from holiday

You must not do that!

Your virgin queen may still be unmated by the end of next week. A Q/E would be tantamount to disaster!

As you only left one cell you will need to check that she has emerged - another possible long backwards leap.

Apart from that, she should be laying by the time you get back if all goes well.

Regards, RAB
 
Up to a month? I fear not. Stick a queen excluder under the brood box and the queen and your bees will still be there when you get back from holiday - but do make sure they have plenty of room so a second brood chamber and/or a super will help.

Sealed cell would take up to 8 days to emerge
Virgin could take 3 weeks to mate

A month would be fine Rooftops, maybe you should think a bit before critisizing someone else's perfectly good advice
 
Virgins typically take around 3 weeks from emerging to first evidence of laying. But that's assuming they have free flying access. Restrict the access with a QX and you delay mating and also increase chances of a drone layer. I would only use a QX in that way in an emergency and then only for a very short time.

The reality is the risk of a 2nd swarm is NOW, not in a week's time when you go on hols. You need to get in and reduce to a single sealed queen cell ASAP. You might find a live virgin gets released as you break down a cell, in which case destroy all remaining queen cells.

By the time you go on hols the critical time is past and there's no need to have anyone look while you're away.
 
Sorry folks, I mis-read the original post. I though the old queen was still at home. Apologies all round - a month is indeed OK if there was one QC left. Memo to self: book appointment at opticians.
 

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