What are the risks of letting them seal grafted QCs in a Demaree top of a Q+ colony?

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Floor, super, Demaree box with 12 grafts, super (to try and minimise backfilling), roof. This is a very strong colony headed by my best Q; the grafts are her offspring.

I have broken up my Q- hive and am having to go back to Demaree-raising the next round. I find the takeup is often lower. But that's not the issue.

I am away on D8. What are the risks of letting them seal the cells? I have found enough sealed EQCs a week after Demaree to think I know the answer, but I would love views.

 

[SDM]

All my cells are sealed in the Demaree top box. with 2 or more supers below. Ive not yet had one swarm if thats whats worrying you.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

All my cells are sealed in the Demaree top box. with 2 or more supers below. Ive not yet had one swarm if thats whats worrying you.

Perfect. Thanks. It is.


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[Erichalfbee]

Yep. Sealed cells don’t cause swarming. Just get at them before they emerge!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I seldom take queen cells out of a Demarree until they are sealed - have occasionally missed a QC and ended up with a mated queen happily laying in the top box as well as the bottom one.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Thanks all.


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[SDM]

I seldom take queen cells out of a Demarree until they are sealed - have occasionally missed a QC and ended up with a mated queen happily laying in the top box as well as the bottom one.

Because you have a top entrance for releasing drones ?

 

[Poly Hive]

Look at the Cloake board. I built mine yesterday.

PH

 

[SDM]

Look at the Cloake board. I built mine yesterday.

PH

Not something I've ever really looked into.i confess..
A frame of drone comb permanently in the lower brood seems to be controlling trapped drone issues.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Because you have a top entrance for releasing drones ?

I have a Demarree on the go and Ive put a Bailey Board in as the top excluder

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Not something I've ever really looked into.i confess..

A frame of drone comb permanently in the lower brood seems to be controlling trapped drone issues.

That’s a great idea. It’s harsh but you should also probably sacrifice it once or twice for IPM.


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[Finman]

Yep. Sealed cells don’t cause swarming. Just get at them before they emerge!

Bees' habit is to send first swarm with old queen when first queen cell are capped.

Bees instincts cause swarming and then it is a series of happening.

Swarming starts about 10 days before cell capping. First sign is that colony does not draw foundations. What gives an impulse to many hives start swarming at same time. I do not know. Bad weather week for example.

.Second swarm leaves when first new virgins emerge. One is out and other peep in their cell. When cast leaves, ten virgins come out and start to kill each others.
They run along combs and peep.

What I wrote, is a red line. Bees can do many deviations and beekeeprs can do many conclusions.

I have noticed that hive may be full of bees or honey at the moment when swarm leaves, but it was not so 10 days ealier when bees got into mind that "now we are going to rear new queens".
.

.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bees' habit is to send first swarm with old queen when first queen cell are capped.

Bees instincts cause swarming and then it is a series of happening.

Swarming starts about 10 days before cell capping. First sign is that colony does not draw foundations. What gives an impulse to many hives start swarming at same time. I do not know. Bad weather week for example.

.Second swarm leaves when first new virgins emerge. One is out and other peep in their cell. When cast leaves, ten virgins come out and start to kill each others.
They run along combs and peep.

What I wrote, is a red line. Bees can do many deviations and beekeeprs can do many conclusions.

I have noticed that hive may be full of bees or honey at the moment when swarm leaves, but it was not so 10 days ealier when bees got into mind that "now we are going to rear new queens".
.

.

My experience is that if you have two supers separating the lower brood box from the top you can use the top one to make you nice queen cells and harvest them after they have been capped while the old queen lays happily underneath.

 

[Finman]

My experience is that if you have two supers separating the lower brood box from the top you can use the top one to make you nice queen cells and harvest them after they have been capped while the old queen lays happily underneath.

Rear Queen and swarm are totally different thing. If the hive makes emergency cells, the result is not swarming. As an old beekeeper, you know that.

To rear queens and swarming fever are very different things. Rearing us near emergency queens.
You must understand whole system and not to pick some detail words from sentences. But you just try to fool me.

When I rear Queen cells, they are always ugly. Never nice.
I do not keep happy old Queen in rearing hive. I saw that 55 years ago, how it goes, but I do not.

I use swarming fever colonies to rear queens.
.

 

[Erichalfbee]

As an old beekeeper, you know that.


.

Today has been challenging...beewise... and you are right, I do indeed feel my age

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

At least you're not senile

 

[oliver90owner]

Demaree queen cells are not swarm cells. They are developed under the supercedure instinct. As such they can be capped without swarming. Usually a different story if the queen(s) are allowed to emerge.....

 

[Erichalfbee]

At least you're not senile

Why thank you Emyr

 

[Finman]

Why thank you Emyr

Jenkins is spending his quality time by barking old people on forum.
Our village dogs bark on tractors.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Demaree queen cells are not swarm cells. They are developed under the supercedure instinct. As such they can be capped without swarming. Usually a different story if the queen(s) are allowed to emerge.....

But back to the OP - most of my Demarrees taken down now (no choice really as they have packed the top boxes with honey)
I say most, one will remain for some time yet as, when I checked I found evidence of a new queen in the top box (obviously missed a QC - this colony were making loads) happily co-existing with her mother still laying away in the bottom brood