View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
profwiggy New Bee
Joined: 25 Apr 2016 Posts: 1 Location: USA/Pennsylvania
|
Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 1:08 pm Post subject: unidentified object in new apiary after installing nuc |
|
|
Hello,
I am new to beekeeping, and have come across a strange object on the top of my frames in my hive. It looks like clear plastic, round, and maybe the size of a 50 cent coin. It is sitting on top of the frames, between two frames. The bees are building comb around it and on top, so I can't get a clear look at it, but I did take a photo. I did not disturb the frames to pull them out and look closer, as I wasn't sure what it was, and the bees were very agitated during the inspection process.
More information: This is week one after installing the nuc into my apiary. (checked for evidence of a queen on day 6) It was a 5 frame deep nuc, and my apiary box is a 10 frame deep. I added a baggie feeder to the top of that, and then the inner cover and top. I added 5 foundationless frames to the box to fill it out. We checkerboarded the foundationless frames with the nuc frames, so that the bees had built out/foundation frames to use as guides. We were advised that this was ok. We did keep the nuc frames in order.
After pouring through the internet photos, the best guess I have is that it is a plastic queen cell left in the nuc after placing the queen. I bought two nucs, and the second one didn't have this. When we installed the frames, we didn't notice it, so I first thought it was a new addition, but after some thought, I think maybe it was attached to one of the nuc frames, and we just didn't see it. I know that if you buy packaged bees you get a queen in a queen box, but I thought the queen was free already in a nuc.
Anybody have any idea what it might be? I can send a photo if that helps.
Thanks,
Bob Helwig |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Barbara Site Admin
Joined: 27 Jul 2011 Posts: 1857 Location: England/Co.Durham/Ebchester
|
Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Hi Bob and welcome.
Can you describe what your nuc consisted of in terms of the contents of the comb when you got it and transferred it to the brood box? ie out of the five frames, how many of them were brood and was it a mixture of open and sealed brood and how many of stores (pollen and nectar/honey)? Was there any frames that were just foundation that the bees had not built into comb?
I'm guessing that what you are describing is an artificial queen rearing cup.
The only other thing it maybe could be is the top of a miticide treatment strip
Did you see the queen and/or uncapped brood/eggs during your day 6 inspection? If so then I would gently cut out and remove this object during your next inspection.
Good luck with them
Barbara |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Tavascarow Silver Bee

Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 962 Location: UK Cornwall Snozzle
|
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 6:51 am Post subject: |
|
|
It sounds more like a package to me & if so that cup will contains the queen from what I've read. You are supposed to release her when installing the bees into their new home.
Loads of videos on youtube. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
Quality Top Bar Hives by Andrew Vidler
|
Conserving wild bees
Research suggests that bumble bee boxes have a very low success rate in actually attracting bees into them. We find that if you create an environment where first of all you can attract mice inside, such as a pile of stones, a drystone wall, paving slabs with intentionally made cavities underneath, this will increase the success rate.
Most bumble bee species need a dry space about the size a football, with a narrow entrance tunnel approximately 2cm in diameter and 20 cm long. Most species nest underground along the base of a linear feature such as a hedge or wall. Sites need to be sheltered and out of direct sunlight.
There is a spectacular display of wild bee hotels here
More about bumblebees and solitary bees here
Information about the Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)
|
|
Barefoot Beekeeper Podcast
|
|
|
|
4th Edition paperback now available from Lulu.com
|
site map
php. BB © 2001, 2005 php. BB Group
View topic - unidentified object in new apiary after installing nuc - Natural Beekeeping Network Forum
|
|