Friday 31 May 2013

Swarming Time?

It's been a hot day (22C) in Queen Bee's garden!
Little furry friends may soon be getting restless.
The sign that they may soon be off will be 1) producing drones
2) producing queen cups 3) queen cup(s) with larva + royal jelly
4) fewer eggs (workers slim queen down ready for flight)
When you see 3) it's time to think about "Artificial Swarming"
How to do an artificial swarm
1. Move ORIGINAL broodbox complete with bees and brood  + floor 2' to R.
2. Place NEW brood box  with frames (foundation drawn if poss.)
+ floor in its place. Take out centre frame.
3. Find Q in original brood.  Place Q. and her comb (without Q cells)
    in centre of NEW brood box.
4. Add Q.excluder above NEW brood box. Add supers with their bees.
5. ORIGINAL : now 2' away.  Go through brood box.
   * Remove all sealed Q cells.
   *Leave a  few unsealed Q cells with well-developed larvae. Choose best to keep
    after Q cells sealed.
    (Q cell sealed 8 days after egg layed in cup)
     Put on crown board with sugar syrup in feeder. Add roof. Leave alone!
6.  After 1 week move this ORIGINAL hive to the left of NEW hive.
7.   Finally make sure Q in NEW hive is laying.
     Then destroy any Q cells  in NEW hive.
   
 STAND BY and wait for results.  Don't mark new Q. until she has started laying.

Good Luck QB ZZZZZ
PS Will catch up on weekly diary soon.
   

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