[BMAC]

What is the definition of a very early queen?

How do you know you have a well mated queen until you have observed her laying pattern/durability for half a season?


I always like to wait until after the first main flow and then requeen as needed with queen cells. Not familiar with the part of Ga you are in, do you get summer Tyty there?

 

[BMAC]

David I hope the pump is working well for you. If I have time I like to find the old queen and take a frame of brood she is on along with 2 frames of food and move her to the new box.

Are you going to graft queen cells from her?

Up where you are at is SourWood honey correct?

If memory serves well Sourwood don't bloom until June and its swarm season in southern Ga. I imagine you are coming into swarm season now so if that's the case you can let them start up swarm cells and as soon as they start the swarm cells get the old queen on and let them finish off your cells for you. You just have to go into the colony about every 4 days searching out swarm cells. They will have enough time to recover for the SourWood flow, and your old queen will recover quick enough to get some late season honey for goldenrod if you have enough of it where you are located.

Yes there have been plenty of drones for a month now, however I delayed my splits this year cause of the cooler winter. In fact just got back a week ago from splitting.

The only reason I mention the summer Ty Ty is it's toxic to bees so starting out a new colony with it around its the best, but if you don't have it, you don't have to worry about it. If you want to try and boost them on another flow look for a cotton yard in July.

 

[BMAC]

I would let them brood right up till the flow. Actually if they are strong enough you could rob out only open brood with the queen place a cell in established colony. They will run you more honey cause they have no brood to tend. Start another NUC and pinch old queen then and cell that one. Much better acceptance on cells when a flow is going.

You will have to make sure the established colony has room for her to lay once she is mated as they will tend to pack the brood nest full of honey too.

 

[BMAC]

No biggie David. I didn't mean anything by my questions. I just like to observe other folks thoughts, especially when it comes to well mated queens and varying opinions.

 

[BMAC]

why wouldn't that be good swarm prevention. Remove the frame with the old queen on it and give them another half frame of bees and food at the beginning of a flow. They should build enough to make the winter. They can still swarm and we see some retarded small swarms end of last year that just didn't want to stay put, but most of the time it works well.

 

[BMAC]

are you talking about the old queen? If so not really. Though I have to admit I don't keep track of my queens. If they start to fail I just replace them immediately, or rather as soon as possible. Generally speaking though spring queens don't want to swarm.