Hello to all and thx for all your input and advice;
May 11th started two hives out. Started with two Nucs, hive1 was lighter than hive2, and feed 1:1 to both. All going great I added second brood box to both, hive1 May 29th and hive2 May 27th. Hive2 was drawing comb fast and adding honey to the frames. While hive1 was still cleaning frames. I checked bottom of hives to check on queens and doing great, laying but running out of room. Hive 1 wasn't going to make it to the top frames fast enough. So moved one frame, of brood, to top box in hive1, and stole drawn out comb from hive2 (will check June 12th).So left the hives sit until June 7th and found queen cells, 2 supersedure in hive1 found 1 in hive2. Destroyed them, listening to my elders :roll:. Was told to check after a while so June 10th I check hive2 top frames of brood box was almost done drawing comb again but was filling with honey. Well was told to check bottoms and check and see if honey is being stored where brood were and to check for queen cells. If they had honey in those frames to move them to the top and move empty drawn out frames to bottom (using the checkerboard practice). So did it... Also found the queen and she is still laying very good pattern. I also found 2 queen cells at the bottom of two frames, I did not destroy these. So my questions is...
Should I have destroyed them again?
The hive is only a month old and has not even filled the bottom (7 frames drawn and being used), or the top frames (2 frames of brood); Should I just split the hive?
Or just leave it the way it is?
Will my hive swarm?
I am going to check into hive1 tomorrow and am going to try same thing I did inside hive2, if I do not see better signs... but will read this thread before I move another frame. Thank you to all.
I do not destroy queen cells. I would try to figure out what they bees are trying to do and help them. If they are trying to swarm, do a split. If they are superseding, let them. Destroying queen cells usually results in a queenless hive. 2 queen cells are not swarm cells (regardless of where they are). Swarm cells are numerous and in a hive that is rapidly increasing population and at least a little crowded. Supersedure cells are less numerous and in a hive that is either stable or decreasing in population and is probably not crowded.
I do not destroy queen cells.
I do not destroy queen cells.
I do not destroy queen cells.
I didn't think once was enough, MB. LOL
A large percentage of introduced queens will be superceded within a short period of time. Most nucs are sold with introduced queens. If you destroy her replacement, the hive will die out.
Do NOT destroy queen cells.
Your description of throwing frames around 4 boxes in 2 hives left me dizzy and nauseous. I am sure the bees are irritated and confused as I am.
What are you trying to accomplish? Why all this frantic re-arrangement? It makes zero sense to me. Did you read about this "method" somewhere on the internet? Sheesh.
**Leave the brood nest intact and undisturbed.** From a May 11 standing start, you are barely into the first cohort of hatched new bees.
Most keepers I know want the summer brood to be in the bottom box, but you are dragging frames up to exposed and naked supers? Of course, the bees are confused.
Thank you guys I will leave the cells intact.
As far as moving frames around I did what was told of me. I am learning things as I go as well. Those around me have been keeping bees for time and are successful at it. I was merely trying to get other opinions. I believe I will not destroy them and just let nature take its course. But in moving the frames of honey to the outside top (instead of middle top) is believed to give the queen access to other cells that are empty. It was told to me that she may not (not "will not") cross the honey barrier. This is what I was told... again I just didn't buy the hive and decided to make my own rules here...sesh, lol. J/K! I have some old timers around to help but thinking they haven't been updated, j/k somewhat :-D. I would like to get more advice is all. Never hurts to learn as much as possible. If I see sealed queen cells I will just split the hive. I was told that too! ;)
Sounds like you are on the right track now, EXCEPT,.... If you have more than one q cell, only split if you have the equivalent of two nucs of "YOUNG" bees.