Two questions for help please

[Cuckmere couple]

have just inspected the buckfast colony again that 2 weeks ago had an egg in a single q cell. I followed advice, destroyed it, returned 5 days later and all was well with no further cups/eggs and a laying queen.

Have just inspected again, last time was thur so 6 days later and think there was another q cell wiht royal jelly in it....blurred picture below. Eggs were present in frames. What should i do?

2. The same colony has 1 super fully capped but still full of bees. 2nd super half capped and full of bees. 3rd super 4 frames drawn and being filled. I want to spin all of my 3 colonies together so put a cleearer baord under top super to try to get bees down into next two where they should concentrate efforts! Is this ok or a daft idea? Not sure where to store the super otherwise before spinning but do want bees concentrating on next 2 supers.

Thanks!!

 

[Dogged]

I’ll probably get shot down in flames�� but I’d put a clearer board under all your supers. Give it a decent time and then go in and sort out all the capped frames. Consolidate the rest and put in spare frames as required. Return part filled supers to the hive. That’s what I did and the sky did not fall on me ��(that’s meant to be Chicken Licken �&#56841

 

[Millet]

What do you have in the brood box.. ? .

 

[Beefriendly]

For what it's worth I'd knock down the queen cell. Until the new queen is surrounded by her own progeny. It can go on for 2_3weeks.

If top super full clear, although it won,t do any harm to leave it.

 

[Murox]

Dealing with honey is not a big issue. But to repeat Millets question - whats in the brood box, whats happening down there now?

 

[For want of a better word]

Get some decent Amm bees... problems solved!!

 

[Cuckmere couple]

thanks all

not sure what you mean by what do i have in the BB

around 7-8 frames with brood and others full of stores

this is (if thats what it is) the 2nd charged queen in 2 weeks....it is a buckfast colony i got in a nuc in May

no other signs of problems BIA and fresh eggs

 

[Ian123]

Get some decent Amm bees... problems solved!!

yes no honey to extract dont worry only kidding

 

[Beefriendly]

Get some decent Amm bees... problems solved!!

Good to see you edited your post to removed the trolling bit....well done.

 

[Murox]

thanks all

not sure what you mean by what do i have in the BB

around 7-8 frames with brood and others full of stores

this is (if thats what it is) the 2nd charged queen in 2 weeks....it is a buckfast colony i got in a nuc in May

no other signs of problems BIA and fresh eggs

Just some thoughts for you to conjure with.
If they have decided to swarm or supersede they probably will do it no matter what you do to try and prevent it. Try and work out why they are building QC's. Is your BB single storey ? Is space and the placement of the honey/store frames in BB causing issues?

Later autumn swarms do happen (given the weather pattern this year its autumn now for sure) you might choose to work with it . They might also just be developing QC's as a precaution, or maybe the Q is fading/failing in their eyes.

Clear your full supers by all means. If the weather in your area remains very hot put an empty super up top so they have space to just hang out, they can clean up a wet one or even draw out some new or a mixture of the two.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Just some thoughts for you to conjure with.
If they have decided to swarm or supersede they probably will do it no matter what you do to try and prevent it. Try and work out why they are building QC's. Is your BB single storey ? Is space and the placement of the honey/store frames in BB causing issues?

Later autumn swarms do happen (given the weather pattern this year its autumn now for sure) you might choose to work with it . They might also just be developing QC's as a precaution, or maybe the Q is fading/failing in their eyes.

Clear your full supers by all means. If the weather in your area remains very hot put an empty super up top so they have space to just hang out, they can clean up a wet one or even draw out some new or a mixture of the two.

thanks...and envious of your location!

i am not sure if they are trying to supersede...do you think thats what is happening...1 cell with egg in two weeks ago and the picture above yesterday?

 

[Beefriendly]

thanks...and envious of your location!

i am not sure if they are trying to supersede...do you think thats what is happening...1 cell with egg in two weeks ago and the picture above yesterday?

NO, from your information they are probably not trying to do anything. Buckfast occasionally throw up an odd queen cell. Often they tear it down or I tear it down for them. Sometimes goes on for a few weeks.
But watch the space issue, they prefer double brood sized chambers with three or four supers. Their laying rate can catch the unwary out.
For example I had a queen from Germany arrived 11th of June put into a nuc, End of June there were so many bees emerging we upgraded to full hive plus super...which they filled with honey. Currently packed with bees 9 frames of brood....so took to the heather this morning with three empty supers.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

NO, from your information they are probably not trying to do anything. Buckfast occasionally throw up an odd queen cell. Often they tear it down or I tear it down for them. Sometimes goes on for a few weeks.
But watch the space issue, they prefer double brood sized chambers with three or four supers. Their laying rate can catch the unwary out.
For example I had a queen from Germany arrived 11th of June put into a nuc, End of June there were so many bees emerging we upgraded to full hive plus super...which they filled with honey. Currently packed with bees 9 frames of brood....so took to the heather this morning with three empty supers.

excellent, thanks for this

i gave them a double brood for a month mid June to mid July and they didnt draw, then i removed it feeling it was too late for double brood...was i wrong? its too late to add now?

 

[Beefriendly]

Personally I wouldn't simply add an extra brood box full of undrawn foundation and leave them to it. You need to mix the frames up a little, like sticking a few frames with brood down into lower box and a few undrawn next to drawn brood frames in top box. Next inspection stick a few more capped brood down and bring more undrawn up.
I've never found this "they'll draw it if they need it" to work very well. You need to manage them to draw it.

Never too late, but your colony and your flows and your area will determine what you do. From what I'm hearing darn sarth is all over , varroa and winter feeding is all that's left.....

 

[Cuckmere couple]

well...all 3 colonies are drawing super frames and filling them still...just at a slower rate..this colony drew 4 super frames and filled in a week this week

 

[Beefriendly]

Just before I retire for the night....the supers were above the main drawn and active brood box...
Where did you put your undrawn brood box?
It's not rocket science.