I have several queen cells in one of my hives. This was a package installed April 20th that currently fills about 3 1/2 medium hive bodies.
I believe the old queen left in a swarm last saturday. She laid lots of drone cells and they were slow to build compared to my second hive, so i wasn't sad to see her go. There are no eggs but there was still some sealed brood when i checked yesterday.
My question is - is it worth attempting to make a nuc from a few frames with queen cells, or should i be more concerned about building them up for the winter at this point? I don't know what the odds are for a nuc started now to build up enough to make it.
I've thought about keeping them in my semi-heated garage over the winter with a tube going through the wall for an entrance, But i'll need to build a more bee-tight nuc first. My carpentry skills need some improvement.
Thanks and have a safe independence day weekend.
Bob
I believe the old queen left in a swarm last saturday. She laid lots of drone cells and they were slow to build compared to my second hive, so i wasn't sad to see her go. There are no eggs but there was still some sealed brood when i checked yesterday.
My question is - is it worth attempting to make a nuc from a few frames with queen cells, or should i be more concerned about building them up for the winter at this point? I don't know what the odds are for a nuc started now to build up enough to make it.
I've thought about keeping them in my semi-heated garage over the winter with a tube going through the wall for an entrance, But i'll need to build a more bee-tight nuc first. My carpentry skills need some improvement.
Thanks and have a safe independence day weekend.
Bob