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  • An inspection, split, feed and making a mini mating hive!

  • Beginners forum, ask beekeeping related questions and get help from other experienced beekeepers. Please use the Search Feature please to avoid duplicated threads
Beginners forum, ask beekeeping related questions and get help from other experienced beekeepers. Please use the Search Feature please to avoid duplicated threads
 #3722  by Japey Edge
 23 Jun 2019, 16:19
Hi guys,

I've just completed what was, to me, a pretty wild but interesting hour of bee (keeping?) work...

Most of you will be aware of the situation with the QCs popping up over the last two weeks... So this week I did as I was told (finally! :lol:). Here we go:

Colony 1 - This is my main colony, in an abelo poly hive I painted in a brick pattern, formed from a 6 frame nucleus which was jam packed about 6 weeks ago. They built up the frames with foundation really fast but recently decided to make queen cells despite the queen laying a nice pattern and having no physical problems that I can see.
With Hive 1, I saw two QCs today. I located the queen, trapped her with crown of thorns, then split the box, moving her into a nuc about 10 feet away from the original hive location. I moved 3 frames of brood, one of stores, shook some extra bees in, and added two frames with foundation to make my 6 frame maisies nuc up.
I added 4 frames of foundation to colony 1. I put them on the edge of the frames with brood, making sure outside of them were drawn frames with stores.

Colony 2 - this is the maisies nuc. They have about 200g of ApiCandy Proteico pressed into the frames.

Colony 3 - This was the gift from Nigel. I gave them a quick check for stores and they were running low on them. I noticed 4 sealed queen cells. I gave them some ApiCandy Proteico - about 300g since I only had a 1kg bag. I took a lump, spread it on some cling film and pressed into the top of the frames. I stuck the lid back on and will now leave them to it for a few weeks. They have been queuing a lot so I enlarged the entrance to about 2 inches wide.

Colony 4 - Not sure I can call it a colony. What I did here was shook some bees from super frames on colony 1 into a bucket and gave them a light spray with water. I then scooped a little over 300ml in a pyrex jug into my mini mating hive (polystyrene one) and slid the bottom back in and put it upright. I then stuck a cocktail stick through the alimunium that I wrapped the QC with and sat it in the designated gap between two frames in the mini mating hive. I added a slab of ApiCandy Proteico - about 300g again, into the feeder area and closed them up. I then lightly sprayed the front vent.
This little box is sat in my garage, on two small pieces of wood, to allow air flow under the box, and within an empty brood box. There is no roof on top. This is to the advice I found online about leaving them in a dark place for a few days, locked up. I plan to go back and spray them a little bit each day.

Back to colony 1. I did take out a QE, hoping they wouldn't be raising more QCs. I ended up taking the super off. They made a start on drawing comb on some frames, but nothing amazing. Since they're down in numbers and need to draw 4 more frames in the brood box, I thought it best to remove the super and give them the rest of the ApiCandy Proteico.

I think that's pretty much it. I now have one standard national poly, a maisies 6 frame nuc, a home-made nuc and a mini mating hive.

If anyone managed to read all the way through that I would really appreciate a straightforward reply on how I did and what I could have done better. Also, if there is anything I urgently need to do due to my misunderstanding advice or doing something wrong, please do tell as soon as you can.

Thanks guys
 #3725  by Patrick
 23 Jun 2019, 16:41
Now that’s what I call beekeeping!

Time for a cup of tea and a jammy dodger Jazz 😁! All sounds good to me, you have a decent spread bet. What’s happening with the queen cells your mate put in his incubator or are they for him?
 #3726  by NigelP
 23 Jun 2019, 17:01
As per Patrick....although I'm sure we could all have done something a bit differently...you had a plan and went for it....great stuff.

Only thing I'd add is most of these feed supplements are just waste of space and your money.
Nothing replaces proper pollen...even the best substitutes (of which this is not) don't work as well as the proper stuff. So If they had pollen...something worth checking for on an inspection then no need. But also more importantly no harm done.
 #3733  by Japey Edge
 23 Jun 2019, 19:22
Patrick wrote:
23 Jun 2019, 16:41
Now that’s what I call beekeeping!

Time for a cup of tea and a jammy dodger Jazz 😁! All sounds good to me, you have a decent spread bet. What’s happening with the queen cells your mate put in his incubator or are they for him?
He emailed me today. None of them hatched out, not sure I know enough to know if that's good or bad.

Cheers Patrick and Nigel. It was hot work, I overdressed and my hands were dripping inside my marigold and nitrile double layers, but it's making me so much more confident - my not flinching when they jump on my hands, or getting nervous when I hear loud buzzing around my head.

I see what you're saying about the protein feed. I'll be getting some more sugar soon and just do a 1:1 syrup for them all if they need it.

Any tips on the closed up mating hive in the garage would be welcome :D
 #3737  by Adam Bee
 23 Jun 2019, 21:26
I'm oddly envious! My colony is just ticking along. At the same time happy, tho', as right now I don't have the time for all that! Congratulations and good luck.
 #3756  by Japey Edge
 24 Jun 2019, 19:11
Ha! Cheers Adam! Your time will come!

I'm hoping they're all OK. Today:
Hive 1 - plenty of activity despite losing their queen and a decent chunk of their population. I'd say half but I reckon a few flyers returned
Hive 2 - the split from hive 1 which includes the queen - has been very quiet. I haven't seen much going on at the entrance :-(
Hive 3 - micro swarm, seems to be happy. Plenty of activity at the entrance
Mini mating hive - bit of noise but seem cosy enough. I really hope I put a good queen cell in there.


Am I right in thinking I need to leave the queenless colonies well alone for a few weeks? Or should I check weekly for stores/feed just quickly?
Also, should hive 2 be this quiet while the others are active?
 #3759  by Patrick
 24 Jun 2019, 22:49
Re leaving colonies alone whilst waiting for queens to emerge, mate and lay.

Some leave alone on the basis of possibly disturbing the process.

Personally I quickly check the marked frame to check the queen has emerged, then maybe a couple of weeks later to look for eggs and then weekly to know what’s going on. The conventional wisdom is to not disturb during the main part of the day in case the virgin is on a mating flight - whatever.

Don’t know what is “right” - I just want to know what’s occurring. Does it mean I lose any mated queens by doing it, frankly I doubt it. Our seasons are so short, to lose several weeks whilst I hope for the best then have to sort out a drone laying colony if it’s gone wrong is just too annoying.
 #3762  by Japey Edge
 25 Jun 2019, 08:58
Thanks Patrick. I like the sound of that approach. I would be gutted if I left them for a month and opened up to an undesirable situation.

Today is supposed to be quite miserable up here. Tomorrow and Thursday should be better. Hopefully I will see some action from my very quiet Q+ nuc...

Nervy times! Honey production delayed somewhat :lol: