June Frame

June Frame

Thursday, June 20, 2013

a split or 2 -

It's been a few days since I updated this blog, but here's what's been happening.

A week and a 1/2 ago I noticed a few queen cell cups being formed in Hive 1.  I decided, even though it wasn't the hive that I necessarly want the genes from, I'd try to create a split from it.  So last friday (6/21) I took that frame along with 3 other frames (scattered from the 2-deep box), a frame of capped/fresh brood from another hive -  and created a nuc box putting it about 150 yards away.  I put some sugar water on it, but quickly noticed that 'other' bees had found it and I had a 'robbing' situation going on.  I quickly plugged up the new nuc and had to leave it closed up all weekend.  On monday, i opened up the blockage and left them to their own devices.  I also re-filled the quart feeder. 
Yesterday (Wednesday) I noticed that the 3 queen cups, had been transformed from just cups into capped queen cells.  They looked strange to me as they weren't fillagreed yet.  Today I re-inspected the hive and noticed that they were indeed fillagreed.  Magic ...

I also noticed back in Hive 1 that they had a queen cell already fillagreed - so i took it some brood/honey/pollen from H1, H2, and even 1 frame from the super-nuc box.

Attached are some pictures of what I saw today.  The cluster of 4 queen cells, is what was in the new nuc - but fillagreed today.  I have the new nuc shut up till tomorrow pm, then will let them go and see what happens ...

ps - another 5 gallons of sugar water has been taken also.  I'll make some more up tomorrow and start feeding them again.  I have to remind myself, I'm only doing this now - because I'm trying to stimulate more queens, brood, and some honey - if possible ..










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