It's half a glass, whether half full or half empty it doesn't matter because the bottle is never far away. My two Queen system has not been realised. I have had made the decision to recombine the colonies so I failed...right!
Glass half empty:
The first proper beekeeper-like manipulation I attempted, ie a split, ultimately resulted in a queenless colony. The split threw several swarms weakening the split. I have now recombined the colonies as I think it is too late to raise a queen and get the colony back to strength.
The first proper beekeeper-like manipulation I attempted, ie a split, ultimately resulted in a queenless colony. The split threw several swarms weakening the split. I have now recombined the colonies as I think it is too late to raise a queen and get the colony back to strength.
Glass half full:
The queen right side of the split have been going gang busters. They have reached more than 18 bars of solid brood and are wall-to-wall bees. The queenless side have had no brood to look after so have laid down honey stores which the queenright side are lacking. Between them there will be more than 30 bars of full comb. Together they will be a very strong hive. The extra comb shoould give the queenright bees a chance to put some stores down. I suspect at the moment their comb building can't stay ahead of the vigorous queen. I also now have other colonies caught as swarms so have still increased my numbers. One of the colonies I was able to sell on BN frames for a small amount to buy more equipment.
The queen right side of the split have been going gang busters. They have reached more than 18 bars of solid brood and are wall-to-wall bees. The queenless side have had no brood to look after so have laid down honey stores which the queenright side are lacking. Between them there will be more than 30 bars of full comb. Together they will be a very strong hive. The extra comb shoould give the queenright bees a chance to put some stores down. I suspect at the moment their comb building can't stay ahead of the vigorous queen. I also now have other colonies caught as swarms so have still increased my numbers. One of the colonies I was able to sell on BN frames for a small amount to buy more equipment.
Half a glass either way:
I have some very healthy and vigorous colonies. I have two top bar hives, a national and a warré. I have increased my bee numbers and learnt some lessons. The bees will do what the bees will do. I can always try again next year with the two queens but if the colony remains this vigorous there may not be room.
I still cannot say with assurity that I know what I am doing. I'm am the point where to any theoretical situation I have the theoretical answer. I can provide information and advice. What I cannot do is handle 50,000 bees making decisions in ways I don't understand, doing things I can't see, to achieve something I daren't guess at. It's a shame you can't start with one bee and work your way up, like with juggling. In fact juggling is what it feels like. I understand how many balls there are, how gravity works, and where my hands are. At some point there is a switch when it all comes together and you are juggling. But for me it still feels like it's raining tennis balls.
I have some very healthy and vigorous colonies. I have two top bar hives, a national and a warré. I have increased my bee numbers and learnt some lessons. The bees will do what the bees will do. I can always try again next year with the two queens but if the colony remains this vigorous there may not be room.
I still cannot say with assurity that I know what I am doing. I'm am the point where to any theoretical situation I have the theoretical answer. I can provide information and advice. What I cannot do is handle 50,000 bees making decisions in ways I don't understand, doing things I can't see, to achieve something I daren't guess at. It's a shame you can't start with one bee and work your way up, like with juggling. In fact juggling is what it feels like. I understand how many balls there are, how gravity works, and where my hands are. At some point there is a switch when it all comes together and you are juggling. But for me it still feels like it's raining tennis balls.
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