Weekly colony inspections after grafting are crucial for maintaining hive health and ensuring successful queen rearing. The process involves carefully inspecting both brood boxes for queen cells, managing supers, and reassembling the hive with attention to the queen excluder. Key tasks include removing supers if present, checking for and destroying unwanted queen cells in both upper and lower boxes, and ensuring the queen excluder is properly replaced to protect sealed queen cells. These steps help prevent swarming and maintain colony stability during the queen-rearing process.
Key Points Explained:
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Lifting and Placing the Upper Brood Box
- Gently lift the upper brood box and place it on an adjacent hive roof or the upturned roof of the queen-rearing colony.
- This minimizes disruption to the bees and reduces the risk of damaging the queen or brood.
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Removing Supers if Present
- Supers (honey storage boxes) should be removed during inspection to access the brood boxes more easily.
- This step ensures a clear view of the brood frames and queen cells.
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Inspecting the Bottom Box for Queen Cells
- Carefully examine the bottom brood box for any queen cells.
- Unwanted queen cells should be removed to prevent swarming or competition with the grafted queen cells.
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Reassembling the Hive
- After inspection, reassemble the hive in the correct order (brood boxes, queen excluder, and supers if applicable).
- Proper reassembly maintains hive structure and bee activity flow.
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Replacing the Queen Excluder
- Ensure the queen excluder is put back in place to prevent worker bees from tearing down newly sealed queen cells.
- The excluder keeps the queen in the lower box, protecting the developing queens in the upper box.
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Checking the Upper Box for Queen Cells
- Inspect the frame of unsealed brood in the upper box for queen cells.
- Knock off any unwanted queen cells to avoid multiple queens emerging, which can lead to swarming or fighting.
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Knocking Off Unwanted Queen Cells
- Remove any queen cells found in the upper box to maintain focus on the grafted queen cells.
- This ensures the colony’s resources are directed toward the intended queen-rearing process.
By following these steps, beekeepers can maintain colony health, prevent swarming, and ensure the success of the queen-rearing operation. Regular inspections also provide opportunities to monitor overall hive conditions and address any issues promptly.
Summary Table:
| Task | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Lift and place upper brood box | Minimize disruption to bees and protect brood/queen. |
| Remove supers if present | Easier access to brood frames and queen cells. |
| Inspect bottom box for queen cells | Prevent swarming by removing unwanted queen cells. |
| Reassemble hive correctly | Maintain hive structure and bee activity flow. |
| Replace queen excluder | Protect sealed queen cells from worker interference. |
| Check upper box for queen cells | Avoid multiple queens emerging, which can cause swarming or fighting. |
| Knock off unwanted queen cells | Direct colony resources toward grafted queen cells for successful rearing. |
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