This apiary session was attended by 12 members of the society. Jim Cooper briefed us on the methods of introducing newly purchased queens into a colony, using a nucleus hive that contained three frames of brood\food from the receiving hive, placed there 48 hours ago.
The queen is transported and contained in a cage with a few attendant nurse bees, some fondant, and a tab that once removed would allow the queen to be released gradually in to the nucleus colony. These nurse bees will meantime feed the queen in the cage.
The introduction can be achieved by first removing the attendant bees and packing the cage between two brood frames, and then the bees from the hive would eat the fondant and the queen is released into the hive. [Hive 9 & 10]
Alternatively the nurse bees can be left in the queen cage and placed in the same manner, and they would be released with the queen when they and the resident bees eat the fondant. As they are nurse bees and have been exposed to the hive they should be accepted.[Hive 5]
Finally the queen could be released from the cage directly on a brood frame and thus directly into the hive.[Hive 8]
Each nucleus box was checked for any emergency queen cells and if present they were removed, then the queen cage with the tab removed was suspended between two frames
Alternatively the nurse bees can be left in the queen cage and placed in the same manner, and they would be released with the queen when they and the resident bees eat the fondant. As they are nurse bees and have been exposed to the hive they should be accepted.[Hive 5]
Finally the queen could be released from the cage directly on a brood frame and thus directly into the hive.[Hive 8]
Each nucleus box was checked for any emergency queen cells and if present they were removed, then the queen cage with the tab removed was suspended between two frames
The direct introduction to the queen as opposed to the use of the queen cage
Following the apiary session, Jim and I completed the introduction of queen cages for Nucs 9 & 10 and we inspected hive 4 which came from Hive 10 as we had needed to reduce congestion in the hive. I am please to announce that we found a new mated and laying queen, and she is now marked red.
I will return to the Apiary next Wednesday to inspect the Nucleus Boxes, to check progress and Hives 7 and 6, which were created from Hive 10 and 9 respectively.
It was a very useful day for the members who had purchased queens, and equally for those who wanted to see the process.. Jim provided a comprehensive explanation, and answered numerous questions from those present.
I thank everyone for their enthusiasm and input, and particularly Clive for the photos
Ken Gallagher - Apiary Supervisor
I will return to the Apiary next Wednesday to inspect the Nucleus Boxes, to check progress and Hives 7 and 6, which were created from Hive 10 and 9 respectively.
It was a very useful day for the members who had purchased queens, and equally for those who wanted to see the process.. Jim provided a comprehensive explanation, and answered numerous questions from those present.
I thank everyone for their enthusiasm and input, and particularly Clive for the photos
Ken Gallagher - Apiary Supervisor