What did you do in the Apiary today?

[B+.]

I was joined by some members of Bucks BKA for a grafting day in my test apiary yesterday. Hopefully, they'll make some good queens from the larvae

 

[Erichalfbee]

I was joined by some members of Bucks BKA for a grafting day in my test apiary yesterday. Hopefully, they'll make some good queens from the larvae

That must have been a real event. Well done Paul for spending time with them.

 

[elainemary]

Morning run to check Tŷ Uchaf and Gelli apiaries the queen in the swarmed hive has now mated and is laying like a train, already three frames of sealed brood in the last week, also, for a swarmed hive it is still packed with bees so can't see there being much of a hiatus here waiting for new bees to emerge. Took another nuc off a Demarree'd hive at the Gelli (foolish not to as she's always been a productive queen - both bees and honey and I think they will be superseding her this season so, belt and braces time.
Not much forage around now as the hawthorn is well and truly over but the good news is, a lot of the bramble flower buds are showing a bit of white with one or two already open.
after lunch, popped over to the castle (catching up at the moment thanks to the wet weather) to check on the nucs which I expected the queens to get mated and laying by now. One has always been very quiet and I didn't have much hopes for her, but fair play, already two frames with sealed worker brood, another one there must have mated not long after mating as there are four frames full of sealed brood and not much room as they seemed to have gone bonkers storing pollen from the hawthorn, so another trip there tomorrow to hive them (the nucs are staying at the apiary to make up for winter losses.)

Hi, as still a few weeks left to the season and plenty of time for Nucs to swarm, how do you manage these over the next few weeks? I’m planning a few Nucs to over winter too this year.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hi, as still a few weeks left to the season and plenty of time for Nucs to swarm, how do you manage these over the next few weeks? I’m planning a few Nucs to over winter too this year.

If they fill the nuc, they go into a hive or, they get a second box to fill which gets hived later

 

[B+.]

That must have been a real event. Well done Paul for spending time with them.

It was exhausting but fun. I hadn't realised just how heavy those boxes were - there is so much fresh nectar coming in at the moment that the brood area was pretty full of fresh stuff too.
I think everyone got what they wanted out of it although there are definite lessons to be learned about how to do this sort of thing. I'll have to read up on how they're run in Germany. I understand they're regular events there

 

[Nannysbees]

You waited too long - should have put the new queen in immediately after squishing the old one.

We followed the instructions to the letter that came with the queen

 

[The Poot]

We followed the instructions to the letter that came with the queen

Put it down to experience and move on using the queen cells the bees have given you. Make a reserve colony in a nuc as you have multiple charged cells. At least the colony will continue to survive and bring in nectar.

 

[drex]

Hi, as still a few weeks left to the season and plenty of time for Nucs to swarm, how do you manage these over the next few weeks? I’m planning a few Nucs to over winter too this year.

As per Mike Palmer, I use mine as brood factories, taking frames of capped brood out ( bee less) and using them to boost production hives. I replace with foundation. It is a win win, nucs do not get overly strong, production hives get a full workforce, and I get plenty of new drawn comb.

 

[Nannysbees]

Put it down to experience and move on using the queen cells the bees have given you. Make a reserve colony in a nuc as you have multiple charged cells. At least the colony will continue to survive and bring in nectar.

Thank you , so many different opinions difficult to decide what to do but you're right we are gaining experience. We contacted the seller and they are sending us another queen

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

We followed the instructions to the letter that came with the queen

Maybe so - doesn't mean they are right - just what that particular breeder thinks.

 

[hemo]

If changing a like for like queen (both mated) I carry out the procedure straight away. Remove old and in the new goes straight away, though I honey dunk the new one first to give her time and for the bees to clean her up and accept her. If laid on the tops bars or on a piece of card on said tops bars one can watch the interaction.

It's not uncommon for a colony to kill off a new Q and decide to raise their own.

 

[BugsInABox]

Maybe so - doesn't mean they are right - just what that particular breeder thinks.

In fact, sadly, your account would seem to suggest they were worng.

 

[Swarm]

Thank you , so many different opinions difficult to decide what to do but you're right we are gaining experience. We contacted the seller and they are sending us another queen

There are many different opinions and the problem for a new beekeeper is each beekeeper they talk to claims their way is best.

 

[Swarm]

I spoke with a local beekeeper friend last night, he tried some black queens last year and I gave him one from a nuc that was on its last legs thanks to wasps.
What a glowing report, he is over the moon with them, black as soot and very gentle. No smoke for the last three inspections and no gloves. They are in double nine frame Langstroth and well into the second super. I was ringing to see if he was interested in a couple of newly emerged virgins, I dropped off three as another one emerged this morning
Found a couple of charged cells in the last colony inspected today, they were early stage and I'm returning tomorrow so will sort them out then. So annoying as this is another colony of motionless bees with the occasional wing buzz. I was hoping things would settle down, I hate June swarming.

 

[Earthboy]

There are many different opinions and the problem for a new beekeeper is each beekeeper they talk to claims their way is best.

For all beekeeping issues, the best answer is "It Depends [on each local/individual/peculiar circumstances]." It is the inexperienced beekeeper that insists on his opinion to be the gospel truth, often resorting to name calling or even go so far as to change the OP's original data to fit his "opinion," as I have seen on another thread of late. Anyone that processes food generates at the end of the day this thing called "opinion," and their opinions tend to be odious.

 

[Erichalfbee]

For all beekeeping issues, the best answer is "It Depends [on each local/individual/peculiar circumstances]." It is the inexperienced beekeeper that insists on his opinion to be the gospel truth, often resorting to name calling or even go so far as to change the OP's original data to fit his "opinion," as I have seen on another thread of late. Anyone that processes food generates at the end of the day this thing called "opinion," and their opinions tend to be odious.

Well most of us here process food, including you. Are you saying our opinions are odious?

 

[Earthboy]

Well most of us here process food, including you. Are you saying our opinions are odious?

This.

It is the inexperienced beekeeper that insists on his opinion to be the gospel truth, often resorting to name calling or even go so far as to change the OP's original data to fit his "opinion," as I have seen on another thread of late.

 

[Erichalfbee]

This.

It is the inexperienced beekeeper that insists on his opinion to be the gospel truth, often resorting to name calling or even go so far as to change the OP's original data to fit his "opinion," as I have seen on another thread of late.

No ..... you said

Anyone that processes food generates at the end of the day this thing called "opinion," and their opinions tend to be odious.

 

[Murox]

This.

It is the inexperienced beekeeper that insists on his opinion to be the gospel truth, often resorting to name calling or even go so far as to change the OP's original data to fit his "opinion," as I have seen on another thread of late.

Other than the use of the word 'Beekeeper" you seem to be describing something politicians do on a regular basis.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’m still waiting to see why our opinions are odious.