Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: Blair Sampson on May 31, 2021, 12:15:15 pm
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I'm aware that a split should be queenless for 24hrs prior to adding a queen cell but how far in advance (days) can you make/prepare splits prior to adding queen cells?
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I do not wait 24 hours. If they have larva, they will make their own cells in 12 hours. I wait 10 minutes and add the cell. If you wait very long, they are apt to drift to the nearest hives and you will be left with no bees,
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........all fine and good but I'm still unsure of how far in advance I make my splits in preparation for cell introduction?
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You introduce the cell within minutes of making the split. They know they are queenless almost immediately.
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Thanks for providing the minimum amount of time required for cell introduction. What I really need to know is what is the suggested maximum amount of time between making splits and cell introduction? Case scenario: In one week's time I will have numerous ripe cells ready for introduction into splits. I have numerous splits to make in various bee yards and wish to start asap. How far ahead of cell introduction can splits be made?
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Blair, you can make them up a week ahead of time if you wish as long as you have brood in there to keep their laying worker "gene" suppressed. However as Iddee pointed out, they will start trying to make their own queen like in a walkaway split. The longer a hive is queenless, the harder it is to get them to accept a "foreign" queen. If they have their own cells started they may kill yours and wait on theirs.
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That's the point I am trying to make. If you make splits and put eggs or small larva in the splits, you won't need to put cells in. They will make cells the first 12 hours. If you wait a week, you will need to remove their queen cells before adding yours.
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for what it’s worth, I also just make them as needed. I do not “prep” the hives.
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