Emergency Cell in a Wall Bait Hive

[farmdon]

I was somewhat emboldened by all the information in these forums about trapping wall bees. So I did one and a few days later I have this emergency cell on the brood I gave them.

http://scrubhillfarm.com/emergency.aspx

Please take a moment to evaluate these two photos.

One is an open emergency cell (larger size) The other is a closed emergency cell (smaller size)

What do you think. Am I winning?

[xC0000005]

Well, I think the bees are doing what comes natural. If that bait hive did not have a queen, then look at it from their perspective: THey do not know nor care that they are split off to populate a bait hive. They know that there was a queen, and now there is not. They know they can make a queen from the brood, and they have done so.

As for whether or not you are winning - I think that depends on whether or not the population of the bait hive is rising. If it is, you are likely getting workers to defect to your bait colony.

[ScadsOBees]

When you see them hauling out drone brood, then you are probably getting a handle on it. Make sure that the drones don't clog up the tube. They are rather stupid trying to get out and just pile up.

By the way, is that the Pillbury Doughboy's hands in the picture? :P

Rick

[iddee]

It looks like it is working as planned. Just let it keep working until you have 8 or so frames of bees, then start a new box with a new frame of eggs. I just finished a trap-out where I got 3 boxes and 1 nuc of bees. They are all doing well.

[farmdon]

I really have begun thinking about starting another box. I have been hesitant because this is my first attempt and I have killed enough bees in trees last year to give me pause before trying any advanced procedures. I have another project "in the wings" that I would like to use this current project for as training. The future project is the wall bees by which all wall bees should be judged. It is a huge area with a constant flow of bees. This small wall should teach me something.

Today there is a diminished flow of bees from the wall. This may signal something. In addition the barn swallows are making a killing on this project.

Those rubber gloves are the only ones I have used that I don't get stung in.
They love me ... but they have a difficult time showing it. we are in therapy for that so you can just stop doing that :P thing at me ScadsOBees.