YES Baby! :D (Good Signs)

[Insy]

Well after waiting for 6-7 days of long pure torture today was inspection day for the Hive with the moved in swarm and for the cast swarm in my nuc box.

So first i inspected the hive which has 5 frames full of bees, they seemed very actives lots of bee in and out and i only saw one pesky wasp which didnt last long . I first noticed that glued the crown board to brood chamber and the super to the crown board (No frames in super just a empty space ready for probably a feeder to go on), when i looked in all looked good all in a big clumb on the 5 frames doing there things (at this point i was praying there was eggs). I started with taking the end frame out with is a fresh frame and fresh wax not drawn yet and place on the lid, i then individually checked each frame there on and moved up. I started pulling up the 5 frames with all the bees on and i was like WHOOOPIIEEE, On all 5 frames i have the following a arch like pattern at top of frames some with freshly sealed caps and some ready for capping and some with raw honey/nectar still in, i then looked and once the bees started moving about more i noticed on all 5 frames a huge clumped of capped brood and surrounded the capped brood there was eggs and grubs!!!!. This was on all 5 frames, i spotted the queen again and lets just say compared to the last lot of inspections she must of been on red bull or something as she was moving very fast and working hard .
Im thinking of removing the old frames/combs on the outside of the 5 frames with brood and stores on and replacing with 6 fresh frames with wax foundation and sticking on a syrup feed, i dont want honey this year tbh i want to get them building faster so i can have a nice progressing strong colony for winter so i was thinking maybe feeding on 1:1 sugar syrup so they draw out all the wax foundation, let them start filling them with stores and more brood then maybe adding another national brood chamber on top with 5 more frames of wax and dummy boards and get them expanding that aswell.
I did crush all ld queen cells on the old comb and what looked like the beginning of a new cells or it could of been them taking down the old cell that was there either way i left no queen cells there as they have a laying queen and its only a small colony they dont need to be split in my eyes.


I then went to inspect the nuc box, i lifted the lid and i was like Wow theyve drunk over 2 thirds of they sugar feed in 6 days (since there a very small swarm i was amazed) in then lifted crown board and feed off and theyve now drawn out 3 of the 5 frames. The outer 2 frames not yet been touches but the inner 2 has some fresh nectar/honey/stores in the cells and on 1-2 of the middle frames there looks to be a round patch of capped cells in middle of the frames, these looked round but also looked flat compared to previous hive so i couldnt quite tell if it was capped brood or stores which awaits to be moved up to the top of frames BUT i did spot the queen in this one also and i also noticed a small patch of eggs and grubs in the middle of the 2 frames so my virgin queen is now mated and is also laying.


So in 6 days of waiting i now have 2 queens both laying and both hives have eggs/grubs/capped brood and capped stores .

I REALLY cant wait for my next inspection, and tips must appreciated as usual.

P.S. since my hive swarm is in a area which loads of swarms get thrown off would it be worthing lifting brood chamber and placing a queen excluder on bottom just in case they throw off more swarms by accident (Im sure it wont as i crushed all queen cells but will it do more hamr than good?)

thanks
regards
ben

 

[simonf]

Have you got 5 frames and a devision board in, if so it sounds like you need more space for the bees to expand it sound like they are running out of space already if they are preparing to swarm again, did the queen cups have lavae in.

 

[Insy]

Not sure what your asking, when i crushed the queen cell the only larvae i saw was 2 capped brood called i accidentally disturbed. Like i said last week i saw some marble like cups but this week i couldnt see them just this thing that looked like what could be part of the marble cup that was being taken back i think.

No devision bored its a standard 11 frame national brood chamber with 11 frames inside, atm all old comb's but next inspection like i said aslong as theres no capped brood on the other 5-6 frames i will be replacing with fresh frames and wax and sticking a sugar syrup feed on to help build up for winter.

 

[garethbryson]

P.S. since my hive swarm is in a area which loads of swarms get thrown off would it be worthing lifting brood chamber and placing a queen excluder on bottom just in case they throw off more swarms by accident (Im sure it wont as i crushed all queen cells but will it do more hamr than good?)

thanks
regards
ben

What I would do is get a bait hive set up and hope for another swarm!!!

 

[Insy]

I don't want another swarm or hive atm i just wish to practice with the 1 i have and gain more knowledge from practice and reading, like i said if it comes to it ill stick a queen excluder on the bottom now shes mated so the queen cant leave. Im hoping that cell was just a queen cup being torn down instead of one being built up.

I have a hive cleaned up but i will not stick it out until its 100% needed otherwise if i keep sticking bait hives out ill end up with a army of hives, as theres wild feral colonies up here.