Leaving two queens cells? For what it is worth my take on that one is - first define how many bees are being left to look after the queen cells. A few frames of brood in a nuc box is not the same as a large colony where the queen has just been removed or swarmed from. In a nuc box that has a couple of frames of brood (and not a full colony of bees) then a queen cell one on each of the two frames where one is capped and one is open seems to be OK. I won't say that a box left with one capped and one uncapped (but charged) queen cell won't ever swarm. But I find that the chances are that if there are not too many bees in the box then they won't swarm.. But in a full box - that is a different matter.Then leave just the one queen cell - and if they are there take two frames with queen cells on out to make up a nuc box as a backup. Shake just a few bees into the nuc box look after them - two queen cells in a nuc box - one capped and one charged - but with not too many bees!
A Swarming time supercedure caught me out yesterday😂i killed the Queen cos she wasnt laying but ide removed all the brood and worse had damaged the supercedure cell. It was redeemable cos i added the bees to two strong cell builders hopefully making queens right now.
Traditional knowledge stifles innovation. I've learned more doing things wrong than I've ever learned doing it right.
I cannot agree more .... Greetings from Romania. 10 years of beekeeping and counting ...
Leaving two queens cells? For what it is worth my take on that one is - first define how many bees are being left to look after the queen cells. A few frames of brood in a nuc box is not the same as a large colony where the queen has just been removed or swarmed from.
In a nuc box that has a couple of frames of brood (and not a full colony of bees) then a queen cell one on each of the two frames where one is capped and one is open seems to be OK. I won't say that a box left with one capped and one uncapped (but charged) queen cell won't ever swarm. But I find that the chances are that if there are not too many bees in the box then they won't swarm..
But in a full box - that is a different matter.Then leave just the one queen cell - and if they are there take two frames with queen cells on out to make up a nuc box as a backup. Shake just a few bees into the nuc box look after them - two queen cells in a nuc box - one capped and one charged - but with not too many bees!
Fantastic thoughts! Mr Patterson gives a great talk on filtering through the fog of "advice"!
Love it!!
A Swarming time supercedure caught me out yesterday😂i killed the Queen cos she wasnt laying but ide removed all the brood and worse had damaged the supercedure cell.
It was redeemable cos i added the bees to two strong cell builders hopefully making queens right now.
Well well well this is the only book of rogers I haven't bought.... I was only thinking of it today.