Swarm control

[drex]

Don't leave the boxes on too long Des. I extracted six days ago and already some combs were crystallising. I put most of the yield into buckets but some into jars which have gone solid already - never known it so quick!

Thanks Giles. Will have a close look when i open early next week. Little capped and all liquid at last look. The OSR has some time yet before it goes over here, which is when I usually extract

 

[Eyeman]

How much are you paying for those Buckfasts...Your probably just rearing from f1 production queens

I've tried a number of suppliers, much the same results with less than 50% of queens acceptable (usual acceptable characteristics and Ok for overwintering) after open mating. With my local stock I get around 75% acceptable.
Yes the Buckfasts are 'standard stock'.
I now use the Buckfasts to keep my double 5 frame nucs ticking over after I've sold off the overwintered queen as a 5 frame nuc. I then introduce an imported Buckfast to keep that nuc ticking over and building up until my local queens are available. I then sell that Buckfast queen off in a 5 frame nuc and requeen with my local stock. So each 5 frame double nuc can produce 2 nucs for sale each season.
Don't know if that made sense?

 

[mike99]

Last year all my colonies tried to swarm and they where all 2017 Queens..this year i have only had to do one artificial swarm up to now out of the six i have left..i will wait with bated breath though after this supposedly warm weather has arrived..

The colony that you gifted me Steve is doing fine as well. No QC's so far. Expanded the BB and gave it a super and they were just starting to fill it last week. it's been baltic down here this week until today so it may have slowed her down a bit.

 

[Finman]

You need a breeder queen then all your queens will be good for 2 generations and that also influences the local stock if you have enough hives

It does not go so.

One breeder queen? In theory all queens will be sisters and drones will be cousins. Then it is pure luck, what kind of inbreeding problems you have then in apiary.


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