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jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 5:22 pm Post subject: How cool was this
At the apiary this afternoon , I assisted with the hiving of a swarm by walking them up a sheet into their new home. And I was the first to spot the queen I took lots of pictures, but on my phone and I don't know how to get them on to the computer. Nice to see the little row of nucs in the nursery waiting for us when the course is over too.

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 5:26 pm Post subject:
That was very cool - I've checked one of my Nuc's today and it has a laying queen but the other one thats still in my Apiary has a laying worker so that has set me back quite a bit - I'm trying to repair the damage by adding in frames of brood from the Queenright colony hoping that they will draw out a Queen cell from it - Need to check it tomorrow

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 5:29 pm Post subject:
How could you tell it has a laying worker? Did you catch her at it?

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 5:37 pm Post subject:
Like this. https://www.fotothing.com/Tavascarow/

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 7:38 pm Post subject:

TAVASCAROW wrote:

Like this.
https://www.fotothing.com/Tavascarow/

Yes - It was very impressive - waiting for the first one or two to find the entrance, then seeing them come back out to the ledge and start signalling (by waving their bum around and flapping their wings to send a pheromone to the rest of the swarm). Then all 5000 or so bees climbed up the sheet and fed into the hive, queenie too.

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 08 6:40 am Post subject:

Jamanda wrote:

How could you tell it has a laying worker? Did you catch her at it?

No - It was to do with the brood pattern - it wasn't regular but sporadic all over the frames and they were trying to draw queen cells from it - Wiki says I may need to repeat adding a frame of brood once a week for three weeks and then the pheromones from the brood will suppress the laying worker(s) and they will then draw out some valid Queen Cells

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 08 7:07 am Post subject:
I miss my bees Still I suppose its one less thing to try to fit into the year.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 08 7:43 am Post subject:

jocorless wrote:

Jamanda wrote:

How could you tell it has a laying worker? Did you catch her at it?

Its a problem sometimes to get the laying workers to stop,
Might be easier to raise a new queen from your other hive & introduce her to the nuc.
Or unite it with a queenright colony & have a stronger force for nectar gathering & postpone your breeding till next season.

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 08 8:27 am Post subject:

TAVASCAROW wrote:

jocorless wrote:

Jamanda wrote:

How could you tell it has a laying worker? Did you catch her at it?

Thats my backup plan if they haven't drawn any Queen cell's out of the brood and eggs I've put in - trouble is the Queenright colony is very strong and I don't want them getting more ideas about swarming again

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