Test Frame Advice

[David P]

Cut a long story short, I have a colony that im 99% sure is hopelessly queenless.
I have put a frame of eggs and young larvae in to test this. Now assuming they are queenless i understand they will try to raise a queen from this frame, i think correct me please if im wrong that in 3 or 4 days time i need to go back and destroy all but 1 or 2 cells leaving if possible unsealed cells to develop.

A) is this correct

B) am i then correct in assuming that having done this i leave them for 2 or 3 weeks to get on with it, hoping for some decent weather in weeks 2 and 3.


David

 

[jezd]

a) yes, that is pretty much an accepted approach as long as you got very young eggs/larvae, as per the miller method of queen rearing that I will be doing this weekend

b) I would leave until they are all capped and then destroy all but the best looking (1 or 2) - you could always any extra capped QC's and increase your hive count

I wait to be corrected mind.

 

[MJBee]

Yes that is correct. They will be emergency cells and the queen may not be the best. I would check in 3 days choose 2 open cells (check that they do have larvae in them) and mark their position then destroy all other cells. Check again 6 days later to see if the selected cells are sealed and again destroy ALL other cells. At this point I would make up a 3 frame nuc and move one of the sealed cells into it this
a. removes the risk of the first queen to emerge leaving with a cast.
b. 2 queens fighting and the survivor being damaged in some way.
c. gives you two chances of getting a mated laying queen.
Good luck
Mike