Year one Queens

[BBC]

Will year one queens be unlikely to swarm.
Both belong to good strong colonies.
I have a new flat pack hive kit just in case.
The original colony was a few years old when I got it with the second colony being formed via a controlled swarm from the first.
Both colonies later became very aggressive forcing me to replace them. Hence two first year queens.

 

[Antipodes]

Will year one queens be unlikely to swarm.
Both belong to good strong colonies.
I have a new flat pack hive kit just in case.
The original colony was a few years old when I got it with the second colony being formed via a controlled swarm from the first.
Both colonies later became very aggressive forcing me to replace them. Hence two first year queens.

When were they mated?
Are they from a reputable breeder?

 

[BBC]

Came already mated from Northumberland Honey. Really helpful and well packaged.

 

[Antipodes]

Came already mated from Northumberland Honey. Really helpful and well packaged.

Did you get them back in early, mid or late summer 2021?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Came already mated from Northumberland Honey. Really helpful and well packaged.

Already mated will be last years queens so they are in year two.
Not all my bees make swarm preps in year two but most do

 

[BBC]

Early September

 

[Wilco]

It's less likely but not guaranteed. I would always plan for the worst case scenario. You don't want to realise there are QCs then have to find time to build a hive ASAP. In this scenario, worst case is them both making swarm preps at once.

I've had a late season Buckfast queen in 2020 which overwintered as a nuc and didn't make any swarm preps in 2021 but that doesn't mean another won't.

 

[BBC]

It's less likely but not guaranteed. I would always plan for the worst case scenario. You don't want to realise there are QCs then have to find time to build a hive ASAP. In this scenario, worst case is them both making swarm preps at once.

I've had a late season Buckfast queen in 2020 which overwintered as a nuc and didn't make any swarm preps in 2021 but that doesn't mean another won't.

Sound advice Wilco, thank you.
I’ll put it together as soon as I can and maybe get poly nuke too. If they do show QC’s I’ll opt for the controlled swarm again.

 

[Antipodes]

Early September

An autumn mated queen from a reputable breeder sounds most positive. What I would usually do, and it seems to work, is what's called "opening up" the brood nest area (if they show suitable strength), around swarming season time. This process gives the queen laying area and should be done before they start building queen/swarm cells.

 

[BBC]

An autumn mated queen from a reputable breeder sounds most positive. What I would usually do, and it seems to work, is what's called "opening up" the brood nest area (if they show suitable strength), around swarming season time. This process gives the queen laying area and should be done before they start building queen/swarm cells.

More sound advice, thank you. By “opening up”, I assume increase the brood area by adding a brood super?

 

[Murox]

More sound advice, thank you. By “opening up”, I assume increase the brood area by adding a brood super?

A “super” really just refers to the box that is uppermost in the stack. A “shallow” is the better term to use for the box that contains shallow frames, usually but not always on the top and primarily for honey. The brood box or chamber is where the beekeeper wants the queen to lays eggs, it has “deeps or deep frames” sometimes called “brood frames”; but of course any frame could be a 'brood frame' and any frame could be used for honey. This blog article by the The Apiarist talks all about "supering".

 

[Erichalfbee]

More sound advice, thank you. By “opening up”, I assume increase the brood area by adding a brood super?

No. It means putting room in the brood. Between frames.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Will year one queens be unlikely to swarm.

no more or less than year two or year three queens, if they are not given enough space, or sometimes even if they are, they will swarm as readily as any other.

 

[Antipodes]

More sound advice, thank you. By “opening up”, I assume increase the brood area by adding a brood super?

No, that doesn't seem to work so well. I've sent you a message.

 

[BBC]

A “super” really just refers to the box that is uppermost in the stack. A “shallow” is the better term to use for the box that contains shallow frames, usually but not always on the top and primarily for honey. The brood box or chamber is where the beekeeper wants the queen to lays eggs, it has “deeps or deep frames” sometimes called “brood frames”; but of course any frame could be a 'brood frame' and any frame could be used for honey. This blog article by the The Apiarist talks all about "supering".

Thanks Murox. I was using the shallow as additional brood space with guard frame between it and the honey supers. Does that sound about right?

 

[JamezF]

no more or less than year two or year three queens, if they are not given enough space, or sometimes even if they are, they will swarm as readily as any other.

That's my thinking, too. All you can do is attempt to control those factors that we believe incline them to swarm (such as brood space, as has already been mentioned), hope they're happy with it and plan how you're going to prevent/handle swarming should they appear to want to do so anyhow.

James

 

[Murox]

Thanks Murox. I was using the shallow as additional brood space with guard frame between it and the honey supers. Does that sound about right?

That sounds as though you have "brood and a half" with a queen excluder in between the boxes. What is your configuration now? and where in UK are you?

 

[Boston Bees]

A “super” really just refers to the box that is uppermost in the stack. A “shallow” is the better term to use for the box that contains shallow frames, usually but not always on the top and primarily for honey. The brood box or chamber is where the beekeeper wants the queen to lays eggs, it has “deeps or deep frames” sometimes called “brood frames”; but of course any frame could be a 'brood frame' and any frame could be used for honey. This blog article by the The Apiarist talks all about "supering".

Though it also repeatedly talks about "a super", including the practice of nadiring it.

 

[BBC]

That sounds as though you have "brood and a half" with a queen excluder in between the boxes. What is your configuration now? and where in UK are you?

Apologies, no idea where I was going with this one….

 

[BBC]

Yes, the original colony was strong and I’d place an empty shallow on top with the Queen excluder between that and the Eke.
The new colony has a standard brood box with an Eke on top. Not as strong as the original yet.

I’m just outside Cheddar in Somerset. Plenty of trees, cider orchards, hedgerows and wild flowers.