Stella's Social Club

[Happy Chooks]

I have chicks hatching! One day early

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Question for Rinda - I inspected my hive today and the population is booming.  There is still room in the top box (outer 2 on each side are still empty) and they are working/capping frames in the super.  I pulled the super off and  on a couple of frames at the bottom there were a few queen cups, but they are empty.  Is there a time frame from when a cup is made to when the queen lays in it?  I know that once the queen lays in it, it's 15 days or so until you have a swarm. (since the new queen hatches in 16 days)  I'd like to split the hive if they are going to swarm and not lose them.

Yes if you want to aggressively split your hive you will not get as much honey. Bees either put energy into building comb and supporting a new heavy laying queen OR filling the honey supers you give them. If you WANT to split them, leave the supercedure cells at the bottom of the frames and check them every 10 days or so. When the queen cells are capped, move the frame with the queen cell and two frames of brood+ bees to a Nuc box with the rest either new frames or built comb if you have it. If you want to maximize honey, destroy the queen cells. In the deeps move the center, full frames to the edges and the empty edge frames to the center. If one box is noticeably emptier than the other, swap them. If you still have nectar flow also put a new super on top. You are telling the bees, "you don't need to leave, see all this room you have now?"

 

[BlueWater29]

X2

 

[drumstick diva]

Blue Water haven't seen you in a long time.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yes if you want to aggressively split your hive you will not get as much honey. Bees either put energy into building comb and supporting a new heavy laying queen OR filling the honey supers you give them. If you WANT to split them, leave the supercedure cells at the bottom of the frames and check them every 10 days or so. When the queen cells are capped, move the frame with the queen cell and two frames of brood+ bees to a Nuc box with the rest either new frames or built comb if you have it. If you want to maximize honey, destroy the queen cells. In the deeps move the center, full frames to the edges and the empty edge frames to the center. If one box is noticeably emptier than the other, swap them. If you still have nectar flow also put a new super on top. You are telling the bees, "you don't need to leave, see all this room you have now?"

Thank you. They do have extra room in the super. It's mostly empty, except a couple of partial frames from last year, which they are finishing off and capping now. I will move the empty frames to the center in the brood nest. Should I do that in the super too?

I don't have a nuc box, so can I put them in a normal box with 10 frames? Actually, I do have a waxy cardboard NUC box with a yellow plastic plug. Will that work?

 

[drumstick diva]

Bees are a lot of work, no wonder they do all that (angry) buzzing.

 

[The Sheriff]

Just look at the view now from my front deck! This morning redneck neighbor added the party boat and beater truck to the motorhome and camper-shell-leaned-against-the-fence decor. Stupid redneck car farmers! They destroy everyone's property values. I am never going to be able to sell this property now. I am just sick.

 

[The Sheriff]

Neighbor's house is back in foreclosure and due to be sold at auction next week. Should help the property values around him, including ours. He has been in foreclosure since we moved here though, and always seems to get out of it in the nick of time. I am not cold hearted and like to see someone lose their home, but in this instance I hope it happens. It is someone else's turn to put up with him.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I added 2 empty frames to the middle, separated with a frame of brood. (more brood on the outside of them too) I used my smoker today, and I was able to better inspect the queen cups. There are 4 and all are empty. There is a lot of space in the super, so hopefully, this will make them think they have lots of space and stay put. I'll check again 10 days from now.

If the queen lays in the cups, then I'll wait until they are capped and then do a split.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Neighbor's house is back in foreclosure and due to be sold at auction next week. Should help the property values around him, including ours. He has been in foreclosure since we moved here though, and always seems to get out of it in the nick of time. I am not cold hearted and like to see someone lose their home, but in this instance I hope it happens. It is someone else's turn to put up with him.

I hope your house sells soon so you don't have to deal with them anymore.