What did you do in the Apiary today?

[StephenT]

Checked the 2 hives where we merged the nuc back into the parent hive after finishing the Pete Little swarm control method 7 days ago and there were QC’s in both with a couple in each capped . Nuc’d one queen and tore down the QC’s in the other in the blind hope that it was triggered by the reintroduction. Doubt it and will follow up in a couple of days. They were filling the brood area with nectar and could have done with a 3rd super a week ago, so put one on each hive. The Demaree hive had a couple of QC’s in the bottom box including the one in the picture. Does this look like a queen has emerged? All in all, not the best day. Sitting in the garden now enjoying a beer, cigar and the strong smell of nectar. Massive flow at the minute.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Absolutely calm, incredible, both hives, so many things don't add up!!!

It does sound odd how many cells were there?

Checked the 2 hives where we merged the nuc back into the parent hive after finishing the Pete Little swarm control method 7 days ago and there were QC’s in both with a couple in each capped . Nuc’d one queen and tore down the QC’s in the other in the blind hope that it was triggered by the reintroduction. Doubt it and will follow up in a couple of days. They were filling the brood area with nectar and could have done with a 3rd super a week ago, so put one on each hive. The Demaree hive had a couple of QC’s in the bottom box including the one in the picture. Does this look like a queen has emerged? All in all, not the best day. Sitting in the garden now enjoying a beer, cigar and the strong smell of nectar. Massive flow at the minute.

Yes it looks like a queen has emerged

 

[StephenT]

It does sound odd how many cells were there?

Yes it looks like a queen has emerged

About 6 in each and we thought it looked like a supersedure in the Demaree.

 

[Goran]

We have rain and after that more rain.. Seems will last with short stints till next Sunday.. Well, only question is to wait Noah to pass by or to build ark by myself.. So far no honey for me this year, now to save the bees is priority..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Inspected both hives, no eggs in either and no queens!!!!! I think there were a lot of supercedure, my husband thinks swarm. Left one capped queen cell in both

so there were multiple QCs in both?
Swarmed

 

[Erichalfbee]

3 days ago

Ah yes. Then you missed queen cells even then. I remember you said you found small queen cells and took them down. Did you shake the bees off the frames?

 

[Erichalfbee]

lot of supercedure, my husband thinks swarm

Supersedure cells are one or two in number in any position.
However I consider any queen cell at this time of year a swarm celk

 

[Erichalfbee]

after finishing the Pete Little swarm control method 7 days ago and there were QC’s in both with a couple in each capped .

Didn’t work for me either.

 

[StephenT]

Didn’t work for me either.

Don’t think we’ll be doing it again. It’s all part of the infinite learning curve.

 

[Curly green finger's]

About 6 in each and we thought it looked like a supersedure in the Demaree.

Apologies I quoted @Nannysbees post asking how many cells she had .

 

[Curly green finger's]

Supersedure cells are one or two in number in any position.
However I consider any queen cell at this time of year a swarm celk

I don’t think I’ve had any colony’s supersed in may/June time to date

 

[Nannysbees]

so there were multiple QCs in both?
Swarmed

Yes a lot ,both hives still full of bees both queens clipped

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes a lot ,both hives still full of bees both queens clipped

then they swarmed

 

[Curly green finger's]

About 6 in each and we thought it looked like a supersedure in the Demaree.

Swarmed I’d say

 

[Swarm]

Harvested cells today, with such a wonderful queen why not make the most of what the bees provide? Another batch due on Wednesday.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Don’t think we’ll be doing it again. It’s all part of the infinite learning curve.

You’re right. I’ve tried a few daft things often enough to know to ask somebody more experienced now. It cuts out the mistakes.

 

[E&MBees]

Had a challenging afternoon. I must have damaged or killed a really good queen last inspection whilst selecting a frame of eggs for another colony. She was doing really well, expanding nicely, a few dry play cups only, as I checked each frame for eggs and age of larvae. Today, multiple sealed qc’s, and one unsealed one. Managed to damage that one, so chose the best of the sealed ones.
Had to nuc another queen, as open qc’s present.
Then had kit failure, the poly carbonate on one of my crown boards had bowed so it didn’t fit and some wireless brood foundation had slumped in another hive.
On the plus side, I have supers being capped and one apiary smells very strongly of Hawthorn. Some lovely red Horse Chestnut being collected too.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I don’t think I’ve had any colony’s supersed in may/June time to date

It’s not to do with dates though. Colonies are booming, queens laying well and most places have a flow of sorts. Not a time for them to be superseding.

 

[Antipodes]

We have rain and after that more rain.. Seems will last with short stints till next Sunday.. Well, only question is to wait Noah to pass by or to build ark by myself.. So far no honey for me this year, now to save the bees is priority..

Send some here please.
We've had less than 130mm (only about 5 inches) so far in 2023.

 

[Goran]

Send some here please.
We've had less than 130mm (only about 5 inches) so far in 2023.

When there were no forage weather was without " falling", it was already drought. Now first spring forage was devastated with bad weather and as same our main forage started ( even previously crippled with frosts) and at same time started ongoing period with heavy rain.. We must be great sinners to deserve this.. All the year preparing for the main forage and all is wiped away, like You weren't working at all.. Reminds me of Sisyphus..