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General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #11147  by JoJo36
 11 Jun 2021, 20:12
I've not got the space as I have 3 hives all about 2 feet away from each other already!
The brood box is heavy but it could be worse??!!
I've got lots of flyers going in bottom and the young ones at entrance to snelgrove. I went through brood with queen 2 days ago and looked and looked again so hopefully any queen cells I've missed the bees will pull down, if not I will see more swarm cells and I'll check bottom box for any emergency cells too!!
My 4th nuc hive (now in full brood box) just, is opposite side of garden under an apple tree. Ideally 3 nice hives is adequate:)
 #11153  by Bobbysbees
 12 Jun 2021, 15:53
I'm with you on the just three hives. The two full sized double broods with 3 supers on one and 2 on the other plus a converted 6 frame to 8 frame paynes nuc (that with luck might be getting sold along with some odds and ends of kit soon ), are more work than I can handle right now ,it was my first split a bit too early to get mated.
Tried giving them a bought in queen but they didn't take to her.
So they got a frame of brood plus a frame of eggs from my nice 3 year old queens hive and as of 4 days ago were sitting with one nice fat capped queen cell. Though the older queens hive had a good few swarm cells in it 4 days back as they seem to think she is getting passed it lol. that or they are running out of room, so they might be my next candidates for the snelgrove board.
Its either that or a split into my long hive but she he must be obeyed says no more hives until one of the others is sold or passed on.
Its interesting that the older queens hive used to be very good natured but are to the point of following you back to the house if your not liberal with the smoker and the Bee dance before you head back from the shed.
 #11156  by NigelP
 12 Jun 2021, 17:51
A suggestion is find a second apiary site. Hives in your garden can be disasters waiting to happen unless you can move your bees elsewhere.
At some point you will get the hive from hell, the one that the bees attack you as you walk out your front door. Been there got the T shirt.....
It will need to be moved somewhere else and quickly.
Finding second sites is not as difficult as it sounds as many people would love to have bees in their land.
I'm constantly having to turn down offers of sites as I already have the three I need.
And another 4 sites for the heather :)
 #11158  by Steve 1972
 12 Jun 2021, 19:24
Last week I shook two Queenless colonies out..I placed one of the hives on a stand in the garden the other on the shed roof..my thoughts where that my other colonies would clean all the uncapped stores from both of them..on the Monday after I got a phone call that the hive on the shed roof had lots of bee activity.
Today I inspected it and to my suprise it was packed solid with bees many with pollen on there legs and others fanning the nasonov glands..after inspecting I ended up spotting a big fat unmarked Queen..so has luck has it not that I like catching unknown swarms a one arrived the next day..my question is..how long is it before a Queen should start laying in a ready made hive as it needs moving ASAP..


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 #11160  by JoJo36
 13 Jun 2021, 06:01
The 3 main hives in the garden are about 70 foot away with the garden sloping down to them.
The ones I have are more than enough for me I think and I really don't want to be driving to another apiary site forgetting stuff (I know I would) then having to spend every waking hour tending them!
I wake up now thinking "what have I got to do" so another site would be too much hassle for me and I would end up getting more and more colonies the same as I have done with tortoises (started with 2 and now have 7)!!
Fingers crossed, neighbours fine with bees as they are not close to them and the direction they face is downhill away from their gardens.
I just want the enjoyment of keeping them without the hassle of travel in between:)
 #11161  by Alfred
 13 Jun 2021, 07:53
Steve 1972 wrote:
12 Jun 2021, 19:24
Last week I shook two Queenless colonies out..I placed one of the hives on a stand in the garden the other on the shed roof..my thoughts where that my other colonies would clean all the uncapped stores from both of them..on the Monday after I got a phone call that the hive on the shed roof had lots of bee activity.
Today I inspected it and to my suprise it was packed solid with bees many with pollen on there legs and others fanning the nasonov glands..after inspecting I ended up spotting a big fat unmarked Queen..so has luck has it not that I like catching unknown swarms a one arrived the next day..my question is..how long is it before a Queen should start laying in a ready made hive as it needs moving ASAP..
Shed roof made a feed opportunity into an attractive bait hive !
Its a bit of a dimella
Up to a month is the wait time that is put forward ,but if you have to move it youll lose the foragers
Maybe put an entrance disk or piece of qx on the entrance,risk spooking the q, and move them asap.

We're a month behind I was expecting swarming to have died off by now but Im still getting calls and Im not even on the association swarm offenders register
Did one last night,too warm to complete ,collected at stupid oclock this morning.Lovely natured colony in a low bush.
These small colonies will have to get a move on if they expect to go into autumn uncombined
 #11165  by Steve 1972
 13 Jun 2021, 15:58
Alfred I now know where the Queen is from..
I took a 3yr old Queen out of a Huge colony 2 wks ago and put her in a nuc..leaving one sealed Queen cell in the original colony..well I thought I only left one :D ..infact I left three as the hive is huge and Queen cells are hard to spot at the best of times..so with me knowing she is a Virgin I could have up to a five week wait till I see eggs..hopefully sooner though..
 #11166  by Alfred
 13 Jun 2021, 16:32
Why did you need to move them Steve?
I've a few landed in the bait hives but now I have no space left from swarm collections and the wendy house incident they'll have to stay on shed roofs and( telegraph poles :oops: )
until they develop their traits .
 #11167  by Steve 1972
 13 Jun 2021, 16:54
The hive is on a shed roof above the door so we have to duck every time we walk past or go in the shed..also it's not easy to do manipulations stood o the shed roof :D
 #11168  by JoJo36
 13 Jun 2021, 17:34
Steve1972

What if you closed them up and left them somewhere cool for a day or two, then surely the foragers would orientate again leaving you with a hive where you want it? The weather is good so a good chance of a well mated queen (unless the weather changes of course)!!!
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