Post by histopicker on Apr 2, 2016 21:38:57 GMT -5
I added queen cells from a local breeder. He gave them to me to try his new stock. I placed the queen cells in 4 hours after making the splits and the girls were already repairing the comb. I will be pumping sugar syrup to them for the next few weeks to give them a boost. The queens should emerge tomorrow. I really hope they take. The hive I took the bees from had so many bees in there, I really could not see the comb. They were two or three deep on them. The first split was just transferring the old queen to a new topbar hive with some resources, capped brood, and a lot of bees. The original hive was left with about 50% of what it started with and it has around 4 queen cups started with larvae in royal jelly. They get to make their own queen. I will go into the nucs in two or three days and see if the queens emerged. If I have capped brood in about 20 days I will know if they were accepted and were mated. I had a blast doing this today with my wife as a helper and beginning beek.
On a side note; all the equipment I used today was built by myself from 1x12's and 2x4's with a little plywood thrown in the mix. I did not make the rubber bands.
Last Edit: Apr 2, 2016 21:41:31 GMT -5 by histopicker
I added queen cells from a local breeder. He gave them to me to try his new stock. I placed the queen cells in 4 hours after making the splits and the girls were already repairing the comb. I will be pumping sugar syrup to them for the next few weeks to give them a boost. The queens should emerge tomorrow. I really hope they take. The hive I took the bees from had so many bees in there, I really could not see the comb. They were two or three deep on them. The first split was just transferring the old queen to a new topbar hive with some resources, capped brood, and a lot of bees. The original hive was left with about 50% of what it started with and it has around 4 queen cups started with larvae in royal jelly. They get to make their own queen. I will go into the nucs in two or three days and see if the queens emerged. If I have capped brood in about 20 days I will know if they were accepted and were mated. I had a blast doing this today with my wife as a helper and beginning beek.
On a side note; all the equipment I used today was built by myself from 1x12's and 2x4's with a little plywood thrown in the mix. I did not make the rubber bands.
Thanks for the info that should help some of the Swamps new beeks understand the whole split process. Hope your new cells hatch and the new royalty are a success.
Always feels good to make your own wooden ware. Looking good, histopicker. Next year will you be trying your hand at the rubber bands to be totally home built?
My wife is just starting as a beek and helper as well. Knew she was interested when she asked what sizes suits came in and how much did they cost?
histopicker
Swamptalker Extrordinaire Swamp Talker of the Month - 02/2015
I added queen cells from a local breeder. He gave them to me to try his new stock. I placed the queen cells in 4 hours after making the splits and the girls were already repairing the comb. I will be pumping sugar syrup to them for the next few weeks to give them a boost. The queens should emerge tomorrow. I really hope they take. The hive I took the bees from had so many bees in there, I really could not see the comb. They were two or three deep on them. The first split was just transferring the old queen to a new topbar hive with some resources, capped brood, and a lot of bees. The original hive was left with about 50% of what it started with and it has around 4 queen cups started with larvae in royal jelly. They get to make their own queen. I will go into the nucs in two or three days and see if the queens emerged. If I have capped brood in about 20 days I will know if they were accepted and were mated. I had a blast doing this today with my wife as a helper and beginning beek.
On a side note; all the equipment I used today was built by myself from 1x12's and 2x4's with a little plywood thrown in the mix. I did not make the rubber bands.
Thanks for the info that should help some of the Swamps new beeks understand the whole split process. Hope your new cells hatch and the new royalty are a success.
Always feels good to make your own wooden ware. Looking good, histopicker. Next year will you be trying your hand at the rubber bands to be totally home built?
My wife is just starting as a beek and helper as well. Knew she was interested when she asked what sizes suits came in and how much did they cost?
I bought my wife her suit for Christmas. She insisted on the full coveralls. I went out this morning and put feeder jars on the nucs and noticed they were very calm. The new queen cells were at the 16 day mark yesterday and very well could have emerged last evening. The bees acted very queen rite. The other hives calmed down alot over night, I only had one bee banging into my head!
