I just got done playing with separating some queen cells that I had in a hive that I had made queenless 8 days ago. I don't have nucs so I used mediums to make up 5 "nucs" from these queens. I will add more video soon of the boxes I made up but here are the cells that were made. I took a few of them off and put them on other frames but not being sure how this will work out I left most right on the frames that they were made on and then put the frames in different boxes.
Never done this before. Comments?
Queen Cells (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guDUW-Prxuk#)
Sweet
That's the way to make splits. Let us know if it goes OK. Larry
So here is another vid of todays work. Kind of a rundown on all of my hives.
I ended up only getting 5 splits off of the 23 queen cells that I got out of the hive that I made queenless. Basicly because I don't have any nucs so I had to make up Mediums. I only have so many bees to split between them. I thought about breaking up another hive but I would like to get some honey this year.
If I have a chance to I may try to make some nuc boxes before they emerge then I would be able to split them up more I think. Honestly though since this is my first foray into doing this kind of thing this way I will be happy with what I get here. I have done the walkaway type of split before with some success but this is the first time that I have tried to do this type of thing.
I am somewhat concerned about the cells that I cut out and reapplied to new frames, which is why I put two on each, so I have backup.
New Nuc Hives (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR1ARGtKvDE#)
I'm just a newbie that doesn't even own a frame much less a hive but I'm curious as how this is going. ???
Ed
Well so far I have learned a lot. The main thing is that I need to take better notes.
The next main thing is that I needed to have many more bees in each of the splits. Or I needed to create actual Nucs in order to limit their space better.
Right now I have the original queen doing well in one medium.
So I had five spits off of her.
One is dead, meaning no bees in it and the queen cells didn't emerge. Probably couldn't defend from other hives.
Two are struggling, very low numbers. In one of these the queen cells did not emerge, have to assume that they are dead at this point and I will recombine with the parent hive.
Two are doing well, good numbers.
Haven't seen queens in any. Took poor notes and got mixed up as to timing and haven't had time to reflect and figure out at what stage they should be at. I may decide to introduce some fresh brood to the two strong ones just to see if they try to make queen cells. I think that then I would know whether or not the queens emerged sucessfully.
With the weaker one that looks like a queen emerged. Because of poor notes about timing I am not sure if a queen emerged or if they simply tore down a dead queen cell. I don't want to waist resorces on so if I don't see queen activity soon I will probably recombine it with the parent hive.
So far though I have been taking a hands off and wait and see aproach. I will probably inspect all tomorrow to see what is up.
I am open to any and all comments, sugestions or criticism. I just want to learn, so fire away.