The queen can lay in foundation well before nectar or pollen are placed.
Rinsing uncapped comb
I have a situation, and a solution in mind... how does this sound?
Synopsis of problem:
Installed package 20 May
Lost queen within 3 days, few eggs laid.
8 queen cells made.
6 June queens begin hatching.
15 June 1 queen remains, expect eggs in next couple of days...
I added a frame of capped brood froom another thriving nuc hive, to give the population a bump as it tries to right itself.
As bees are wont to do while queenless and otherwise unoccupied, they have made copious honey, and stored it in every available cell. While I have a small group of empty cells in the middle of the hive on about 3 frames, if she wants to lay prolifically as I hope she does, theres no room.
Question:
Would it be feasible to carefully rinse the uncapped cells free of honey in order to give the queen room to lay her upcoming eggs? I have added a 2nd box above, and transferred 2 fully capped frames of honey into it, and dropped foundation frames in the bottom to get them drawing, but as they draw, they backfill with sweets. I stopped feeding a week ago, but they are still bringing it in.
Synopsis of problem:
Installed package 20 May
Lost queen within 3 days, few eggs laid.
8 queen cells made.
6 June queens begin hatching.
15 June 1 queen remains, expect eggs in next couple of days...
I added a frame of capped brood froom another thriving nuc hive, to give the population a bump as it tries to right itself.
As bees are wont to do while queenless and otherwise unoccupied, they have made copious honey, and stored it in every available cell. While I have a small group of empty cells in the middle of the hive on about 3 frames, if she wants to lay prolifically as I hope she does, theres no room.
Question:
Would it be feasible to carefully rinse the uncapped cells free of honey in order to give the queen room to lay her upcoming eggs? I have added a 2nd box above, and transferred 2 fully capped frames of honey into it, and dropped foundation frames in the bottom to get them drawing, but as they draw, they backfill with sweets. I stopped feeding a week ago, but they are still bringing it in.
1 - 7 of 7 Posts
Nectar and pollen are already placed in very good areas for her to use. I need to convince them to move it, eat it, or draw more and NOT fill it. I have a feeling that having a good queen bring clarity of purpose back to the hive will help, but its just in this next week or so as she starts her initial laying that I want to make sure she has more than enough room to work.
I do understand what you are saying, that given a single cell of comb being built, the queen will more likely get in there and lay an egg before the workers will start storing goodies, but this is not the case in my hive. I have newly formed cells that are 1/8-3/16" deep with nectar in them. Once they start recognizing an area in the central brood box as "the nursery" and the added frame of brood hatches to become nurse bees, the core of empty cells for the queen to use will expand as needed, and the foragers will stay more above and outside the nursery.
I do understand what you are saying, that given a single cell of comb being built, the queen will more likely get in there and lay an egg before the workers will start storing goodies, but this is not the case in my hive. I have newly formed cells that are 1/8-3/16" deep with nectar in them. Once they start recognizing an area in the central brood box as "the nursery" and the added frame of brood hatches to become nurse bees, the core of empty cells for the queen to use will expand as needed, and the foragers will stay more above and outside the nursery.
As the queen needs cells to lay in cells will be cleaned out by the bees. You don't need to do anything. You shouldn't do anything.
But that would mean I have overthought the whole process, and will just have to leave them alone to work it out. Thats the hardest thing ever!As the queen needs cells to lay in cells will be cleaned out by the bees. You don't need to do anything. You shouldn't do anything.
PHP:
This ^As the queen needs cells to lay in cells will be cleaned out by the bees. You don't need to do anything. You shouldn't do anything.
Once you come to an understanding about your role and the role of the bees it becomes easier. Bees don't need you to do what bees do best. As Michael Palmer is said to have said, "Bees make better beekeepers than beekeepers make bees."But that would mean I have overthought the whole process, and will just have to leave them alone to work it out. Thats the hardest thing ever!
1 - 7 of 7 Posts
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