Roger and Josh tried shaking the bees onto new foundation last week, but this wasn't a success. The queen and bees attempted to abscond so Josh returned the brood that they had set aside for a new colony (due to no disease being present).
Six days later the same colony attempted to swarm, but Josh had clipped the queen so she couldn't go far. Both Roger and Josh checked on them an hour later and attempted the shook swarm once again.
They both took the opportunity, as there was no disease, to make up two nucs from the emerging capped brood and two chosen queen cells.
This wasn't what the bees were happy with so they tried to leave the following morning.
Josh then returned five frames of brood back from one of the new nucleus hives and popped the queen into a queenless nuc.
It is thought that the bees were already intent on swarming so was this the reason for their leaving again.
#mantelfarm
18 сен 2024
