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Thread: First queens emerged 2015

  1. #1
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    Default First queens emerged 2015

    I grafted larvae on 1st May and the first queen has just emerged in the incubator. Half a day early.
    I put a few cells into apideas this afternoon and I could see movement inside them so some of those ones have likely emerged as well.
    Bring on the good weather.

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    Senior Member fatshark's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
    Bring on the good weather.
    On the basis that it can't stay as total carp as it's been for the last three weeks I did my first round of grafting yesterday. 8/10 looked like they've taken. The OSR is being largely ignored and colonies are about a month behind where I'd expect them to be at this stage of the season … I don't think we've had a single day over 20 C this month. Fingers crossed for some warm settled weather for queen mating in about 3 weeks time

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    Quote Originally Posted by fatshark View Post
    I don't think we've had a single day over 20 C this month.
    I don't think we've had a single day over 10C this month. All colonies are now being fed and it's to cold to inspect them.

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    15C tops for last 4 weeks.. Lovely blossom though. We should have bumper fruit crops. Today it's cold and wet: thermal vest time (again)... Got rather damp on morning walk..
    Hawthorn soon to come out - ...in this weather bees stay indoors..pop out quickly for warmer spells..

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    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    We have had 4 weeks of 9c-12c with just a couple of warmer days.
    Lots of pollen going in and colonies are getting bigger but lighter.

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    Senior Member fatshark's Avatar
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    Spoke too soon … hail and strong winds …
    I now have to add some thin syrup to the (aggressive) cell raiser … feck

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    Senior Member busybeephilip's Avatar
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    Definately not looking good for may, cold and wet, i am thinking this is going to be year of feeding bees. The weathermen are predicting that we are in for a really bad winter. Sugar is cheapish at the moment!

    not good for queen rearing either

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    Senior Member prakel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by busybeephilip View Post
    The weathermen are predicting that we are in for a really bad winter.
    lol. Perhaps they should concentrate on attempting to get the next few weeks right. Doesn't seem that long ago they were forecasting good weather through May.

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    Senior Member Adam's Avatar
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    My first grafts emerged on 10/11 May from a colony that didn't swarm last year and is currently has 4 quite full supers and 19 frames of brood (not much of your native small-colony genes in there! - although winter fuel consumption is quite reasonable as they shut-down laying in late summer). A second lot from a different queen (same family) are due around 20/21st.

    The disadvantage of these girls is that they seem to need 19 - 20 degrees or so to mate so for Scotland, they might not be so good.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    Mine will take mating flights from around 16c as long as it is sunny but its better when the temperature is 20C+

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