So I'm requeening my hives; they are a little too hot for my liking.
I've found 2 queens so far, but two of the other hives are proving to be a little too ellusive for me.
Tried swapping a frame of open brood (read on here that it may draw the queen out, due to strange queen-smell)... no luck.
Tried completely tearing one hive apart and shaking all bees through a queen excluder... but of course, they don't feel like crawling down through a queen excluder! So this hive has been split... I'll give it another day then start looking for eggs. Wherever the eggs are, thats where the queen is. The queenless split can get a new queen, and once I find the old queen and eliminate her, they can be recombined.
arrggg... frustrated. My new queens arrive today! Can't wait to get these girls calmed down a bit, and be able to use my front yard without fear of getting nailed!
I've found 2 queens so far, but two of the other hives are proving to be a little too ellusive for me.
Tried swapping a frame of open brood (read on here that it may draw the queen out, due to strange queen-smell)... no luck.
Tried completely tearing one hive apart and shaking all bees through a queen excluder... but of course, they don't feel like crawling down through a queen excluder! So this hive has been split... I'll give it another day then start looking for eggs. Wherever the eggs are, thats where the queen is. The queenless split can get a new queen, and once I find the old queen and eliminate her, they can be recombined.
arrggg... frustrated. My new queens arrive today! Can't wait to get these girls calmed down a bit, and be able to use my front yard without fear of getting nailed!