todays news

[HJBee]

If you have done a A/S and it has failed due to the QC not hatching, and the original hive Queen did a runner (or was ejected), and you have 2 queenless colonies with one with emergency QC on a frame, both splits have no eggs, no queen - would you unite now in anticipation of what hatches in the next day or so. Or would you keep them both queenless? I made a decision last night to unite and it's been worrying me since. If it remains queen less, would putting a frame of eggs from a nearby colony be the next stage as there is no spare queen stock immediately available, or would introducing a sealed QC on a frame of sealed brood be best, if it can be sourced? H

[gavin]

What to do with a combined unit with one Q cell? Have a quick peek around hatching time (and try not to get them too riled). Has the cell hatched? If not is it about to hatch and is it showing that darkening and roughening of the tip in anticipation of hatching? All will be well. Best leave them in peace for about three weeks. You're unlikely to see anything until then, and going in risks them attacking the queen and risks you interfering during mating flights. You want them settled and quiet, calling back their queen while she's out - not fending off someone with smoke and nitrile gloves and changing any landmarks she may have noticed on her way out!

Of course I don't practice what I preach and will tinker (gently) sometimes but I do try to give them at least a fortnight to get to know their new queen and let her find her bearings before going in.

Quite often I split off a nuc with one of the Q cells so that there is a spare available if needed. You need to make sure that all stay warm though.

Yes, the egg test could be worth doing on the queenless half to test whether it really is queenless, and, if it is a strong unit, raise another.

[HJBee]

Hatching time should be today or tomorrow latest or if they are duff too (probably due to chilling as it was an emergency artificial swarm split done in the peeing rain as the owner was going on holiday the next morning).

So have a peek tomorrow night at the QC see if hatched, if not introduce a frame of eggs and remove the frame with the dud emergency cells?

Ta Gav

[gavin]

No problem!

I'd be surprised if the queen cells are dud. As long as there were plenty of bees to cover them once you closed the hive they'll be fine. It is when you have a lot of bees abandoning the split with the Q cell that it can get chilled.

But if it is cold, ignored and unloved, with no sign of the bees preparing the cell to hatch, then eggs are worth trying.

G.

[HJBee]

Think as they were emergency cells, queen had gone, they could be anything! Time will tell tomorrow!

[gavin]

Here are three points to bear in mind when assessing failed queen cells in splits.

1. Were there too few bees to keep the cell warm? Chilling is possible, try to avoid having too many bees going home. If the box isn't in a position to catch flying bees on their way home, shake extra young ones in, and/or seal them in for a few days.

2. Might there have been a virgin on the loose already? Bear in mind that the pupa could have been already killed.

3. Is the tip of the apparently failed cell darker and roughened? If so, give the tip a nudge with your hive tool. The hatch cut by the queen on her way out sometimes gets re-affixed.

Been there, done them all! Thankfully I did remember about no. 3 on Sunday.

G.

[HJBee]

They should have hatched yesterday / today if Queen cell as I saw them sealed last Tue. If not am assuming it's just worker /drone in the cells or failed, but will check. These had plenty of bees, but think they were done post queenie doing one or being done in. The cell in the Nuc from the split I think got chilled, we opened it up after 13 days, small queen post pupae and formed, solidified jelly in the bottom of the cell.

[HJBee]

Yay! One hatched QC tonight when we did a wee peek, so all put back together and will be left for a few weeks while she hopefully mates and starts laying. All is back to how it was pre swarm instincts, no bees lost apart from a okish queen.

[nemphlar]

Lost a large swarm with a VQ, had gone through them last week and thought I'd left them with single cell, queen removed. Thats the second year I've left a large colony with a cell, note to self under no circumstances leave a big colony to sort itself out. Although on the up side it had a low varroa count and may survive as a feral for a wee while if nobody caught it.

[JohnnyD]

Is that longbenton as in Newcastle a Upon Tyne?