what would you do

[joctcl]

I am putting JBM forward for a Knighthood for services above and beyond the call.

 

[irishguy]

All QCs culled and will unite the hives about 9.30-10 oclock. The nuc more or less finished. Very little bees in it as most where killed by the wasps. I smoked tge nuc to clear the wasps out, closed up the enterance and killed about 50 wasps flying to get in. I was determined to kill them all but was fighting a losing battle then left. The quen is still in there, was going to take her out but didn't know what to do and just closed nuc up till I mentioned it here

 

[kazmcc]

Ah sorry to hear that. Those blasted wasps!!

 

[irishguy]

Ah sorry to hear that. Those blasted wasps!!

What will i do with the queen now that theres no bees for her

 

[kazmcc]

What will i do with the queen now that theres no bees for her

Might have solved one of your queenless problems, but I'd wait for JBM to get back to you on that one, it's his plan

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thanks Kaz!

How many bees left in the nuc? if there are as many as in that cast swarm, take the nuc away somewhere else and try and nurse them through.
Have you done the unites yet? it's a real bummer when that happens but maybe a sign they werten't weak enough to fend for themselves anyway?

 

[irishguy]

Thanks Kaz!

How many bees left in the nuc? if there are as many as in that cast swarm, take the nuc away somewhere else and try and nurse them through.
Have you done the unites yet? it's a real bummer when that happens but maybe a sign they werten't weak enough to fend for themselves anyway?

No, theres hardly any bees at all. Maybe most them werent at home but when i looked, there was more wasps than bees as most the bees were dead on the floor.

I did the unite at 10 oclock there just as it was getting dark. I lifted the crown board of the super on hive no2 and put 4 pieces of news paper. 2 beside each other and 2 above them going in different direction. I know you said one but when i lay 2 side by side, the bees where able to get up out of the super very easy so had to put another layer to prevent this. I wouldnt have done this because i clearly remember you saying one sheet but after Watching a few clips on youtube on how to unite, they said 2 and seeing as the bees where able to get through when the 2 sheets where side by side, i went for the 2 sheets on top of 2 sheets. I hope this is ok.

Nxt i lifted hive no4 roof and crown board off, put down a QE q and then same again with the 4 sheets of news paper, 2 above 2 then lifted hive no1 and put on top with pinching a few holes.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Good show! now sit back and wait a couple of days, you should see them carting out bits of paper tomorrow or the day after. I'll post your next steps tomorrow.
As for the queen in the nuc, well I don't know really - she won't last long with no attendants - someone else in your area need a queen?

 

[Nige.Coll]

do interflora deliver beer ?
IG you need to send a crate of beer to JBM

 

[irishguy]

Good show! now sit back and wait a couple of days, you should see them carting out bits of paper tomorrow or the day after. I'll post your next steps tomorrow.
As for the queen in the nuc, well I don't know really - she won't last long with no attendants - someone else in your area need a queen?

What about the caste, would it not be best to remove virgin queen and introduce this queen with a new frame of stores. If not, ill give the bee keepers who gave me the caste a ring and see if they want her. It would be a shame to let her die.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What about the caste, would it not be best to remove virgin queen and introduce this queen with a new frame of stores. If not, ill give the bee keepers who gave me the caste a ring and see if they want her. It would be a shame to let her die.

If you can locate the queen in the cast, it's worth a try, it was something I was mulling over last night - reduce the nuc right down to two or three frames, single beespace entrance and take it somewhere else (have you got a garden at home?) and hope for the best.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Okay, sorry, folks but we did the unite by PM yesterday - I'm sure we are all familiar with that process anyway.

Now the final step - consolidating both boxes.

Irishguy, Have a quick peep tomorrow afternoon (just lifting the crownboard and looking down between the frames is enough) to see whether they have eaten through the newspaper - I'd be surprised if the haven't but if no sign of breakthrough then just make the hoes a little bigger to encourage them. If they've chewed through and theres a small hole (or if the paper's all gone) there I would leave them settle in for a couple more days then do the following:

Move the frame of brood from the top box into the bottom box in both colonies.
Move any 'good' frames (either fully drawn, cleaner than frames in bottom box etc.) to the bottom box to make up a full eleven frame hive.
Shake off all remaining bees in the top box into the bottom boxes/supers.
Take away top boxes and remaining frames to keep as spares for future eventualities.
Close up your now fully united colonies, relax and leave them settle down for a couple of weeks before inspecting.

 

[irishguy]

If you can locate the queen in the cast, it's worth a try, it was something I was mulling over last night - reduce the nuc right down to two or three frames, single beespace entrance and take it somewhere else (have you got a garden at home?) and hope for the best.

The nuc or the caste. If I move the nuc, it won't have enough bees to support the Queen however if you mean reduce the caste nuc down to 2 frames, add the queen (if I remove virgin) then move it, yes I can do it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The nuc or the caste. If I move the nuc, it won't have enough bees to support the Queen however if you mean reduce the caste nuc down to 2 frames, add the queen (if I remove virgin) then move it, yes I can do it.

Yes - remove virgin queen from cast, reduce that nuc down to three frames then introduce queen using an introduction cage - move it away from the wasp problem site.

 

[irishguy]

Yes - remove virgin queen from cast, reduce that nuc down to three frames then introduce queen using an introduction cage - move it away from the wasp problem site.

Nuc finished, queen dead so I closed the crown board and smoked 80% of the wasps to death then me and my son killed another 10%. I reduced the entrance on the other hives down to about half inch. The other wasps were trying to get into the hives but the bees have it under control.

Good news about the caste, the queen is mated and laying. Seen some newly laid eggs, thou I seen 3 cells with 2 eggs in them and thought maybe it was worker bees laying until I spotted the queen and she looks mated to me seeing as the size of her. I was going to add the frames out of the nuc because there's lots of room to lay in these but seeing as I wasn't to sure the bees left anything on them that I mightn't know about, I thought it would be best to bring them home and check in here first. If its OK tomorrow I can add these frames and remove the frames with just foundation

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sounds a good plan to me, but bear in mind the cast won't be doing much for a few weeks until the first of the queen's brood emerges so yes, replace the foundation with drawn comb but don't increase the size of the hivew too much.
What news of the unites?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Too early in the morning for thinking straight - as I have just been reminded, the scent of wasps may be strong on those frames so although a good idea to give them drawn frames - not a good idea in this case as it may attract robbing wasps to a very weak colony

 

[irishguy]

Too early in the morning for thinking straight - as I have just been reminded, the scent of wasps may be strong on those frames so although a good idea to give them drawn frames - not a good idea in this case as it may attract robbing wasps to a very weak colony

I was thinking maybe they'd leave something like that behind. Sure if I have any frames left over from the other 2 main brood boxes when fully unite, I'll pop some of them in. I didn't really get a look at the unites because by the time I was finished with the other 2, it was late enough and abit cold and not to forget there was still some wasps flying near them so I thought best to leave it till today sometime.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I didn't really get a look at the unites because by the time I was finished with the other 2, it was late enough and abit cold and not to forget there was still some wasps flying near them so I thought best to leave it till today sometime.

Top marks - starting to think before wading in - that's what beekeeping's all about, it's all dynamic and it pays to take a deep breath and have a think before any action. it's seldom so urgent that a decision has to be made there and then, you usually have time to close up, sit down and work out a plan then go back in.
No massive rush over sorting out the unites, as long as they've chewed their way through you can sort out the hives at your leisure - the QX's will ensure the queen stays in the bottom box

 

[irishguy]

Checked hives last night, not much paper moved so I made holes even bigger. Bees where a lot quieter in hives thou I had quite a few dead bees on floor of paper. There was quite a lot of activity in the empty feeder. I'm not to sure this is a sign of needing fed or they where just looking another way out. When I opened the hive crown board some bees flew out and went back to original location thou think after awhile they found their own hives. What did concern me thou is that I think a lot went into the caste hive. If they did, will this be a problem