I put a thread called "ethics" a while back -enquiry over culling a reasonably fiesty colony before the drones perpetuated the strain.
As it turned out ,despite being on the increase back in early January, thay had dwindled to a cupful of bees.
I was looking forward to gaining a bit of experience and boosting another colony with the remnants,but no need now and at least I can get the woodware in for a good clean.
But as I am dismantling the setup, that cupful of bees were actually tending brood.
Closer inspection and theres a small amount of bias equating tp just under a seam.
If they're making an effort ,I cant not assist them and so I put them into a kingspanned-down poly nuc with some candipoline
If they survive I will put them in a quiet corner and just keep destroying drone brood.
I can then tap them for stock if necessary.
So I took them home for a few days ,let them orientate then took them to the new spot.
By mid afternoon there were a couple of dozen bees at the old station,now just a concrete slab.
But by this evening it was down to about five.
What happened there?
Assuming it was them,if they had been oriented to another spot 7 miles away then to a new spot 200 yards from the original then they must have picked up an old flight route to get 'home'.
But then if they disappeared back to their new spot then they know two locations? Surely not?
From a practical perspective they're not worth the effort but for experience Id be glad of opinions.
.
As it turned out ,despite being on the increase back in early January, thay had dwindled to a cupful of bees.
I was looking forward to gaining a bit of experience and boosting another colony with the remnants,but no need now and at least I can get the woodware in for a good clean.
But as I am dismantling the setup, that cupful of bees were actually tending brood.
Closer inspection and theres a small amount of bias equating tp just under a seam.
If they're making an effort ,I cant not assist them and so I put them into a kingspanned-down poly nuc with some candipoline
If they survive I will put them in a quiet corner and just keep destroying drone brood.
I can then tap them for stock if necessary.
So I took them home for a few days ,let them orientate then took them to the new spot.
By mid afternoon there were a couple of dozen bees at the old station,now just a concrete slab.
But by this evening it was down to about five.
What happened there?
Assuming it was them,if they had been oriented to another spot 7 miles away then to a new spot 200 yards from the original then they must have picked up an old flight route to get 'home'.
But then if they disappeared back to their new spot then they know two locations? Surely not?
From a practical perspective they're not worth the effort but for experience Id be glad of opinions.
.