I know that's why I don't think they are the Boss Man's bees, which are the nearest! Unless he's moved one of his many captured swarms up there ........Originally Posted by gavin
I know that's why I don't think they are the Boss Man's bees, which are the nearest! Unless he's moved one of his many captured swarms up there ........
John, that Galtee stock is great for docility. I rarely get a queen I am not happy with re. temper when I graft from them.
I converted four of my local angry hybrid monsters to this stock (not planning to include them in the breeding we're doing, that's for Scottish stock) and that is my experience too. They were horrible stocks in mid summer but now that the workers have been replaced they are gentle. Also piling in the nectar from Himalayan balsam some miles away, and bringing in ivy pollen too. The good temper could partly be the time of year and good weather too. A couple are superseding though and that adds a bit of risk for good winter survival.
Last edited by gavin; 23-09-2014 at 12:06 AM.
ivy flow
"piling in the nectar from Himalayan balsam some miles away, and bringing in ivy pollen too"
We have had a terrific warm, sunny September with ivy flowering 2-3 weeks earlier than usual (beginning of September). My hives of largely local black bees (good temper) have been bringing in massive amounts of ivy pollen and nectar. Because I did not want hives filling with ivy honey (in my experience it crystallises, becomes unusable by the bees in the winter and clogs frames) I put supers on in mid-Sept after an initial feed in early Sept (they are now filling). There is still much brood in the hives and they are getting crowded. This seems like a "perfect storm" for swarming (I destroyed a Q cell a week ago).
So - what to do about varroa control (I used an Apigard treatment in early Sept for two weeks), feeding and swarming at this awkward time of year?
Seems to be a lot of supersedure this year, some natural and some MAQS induced.
It was over 20c and sunny here yesterday so I would have high hopes that some of those virgins I have in apideas had the wit to fly and mate. Not sure if we will get another perfect day this season as it has turned cloudy and wet now.
I checked one Apidea yesterday and could not find a queen in it and when I put it back in place I saw the queen fly in 30 seconds later so she must have been out and about.
Gavin
I dont know if this will work because I haven't tried it but I would bring the old queen and some frames up into another brood box
Leave the queencell and broodframe down in bottom box and separate boxes with a QXcluder then use celotex spacers in top and bottom
The old queen will be protected from a hatching virgin who I seriously doubt will mate and lay in time to be any use for winter
The old queen may fail but bees sometimes do this when you introduce a queen
They raise their own although there is nothing wrong with the queen you gave them
You often hear people coming up against this requeeening vicious bees with gentle queens (its happened to me in past years)
I dont think theres any supporting evidence but when lots of people notice something there is usually a reason
They do seem to be a good tempered bee, checked on a couple this morning and they were very laid back.
Jon - it has been drier and sunnier in Fermanagh than Belfast this September - light shower this afternoon - first for a month. Do you have an early ivy nectar glut and still much brood?
Loads of brood at the moment. Any colonies I have looked into are full of fresh eggs and larvae.
At least one had the wit. Checked two apideas this afternoon and one queen had just started to lay.
Off to the Bibba conference in Wales tomorrow so won't get checking any more until next week.
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