@DextersShed yes nice plump larvae and royal jelly. We didn’t choose the capped one as it was not possible to see if it was viable.
What a relief! I found a queen, larvae, and eggs in a split I did weeks ago. I was getting worried. When I made the split there were 2 uncapped queen cells with larvae and 4 capped queen cells all on the same frame. I moved that frame and 2 frames of open and capped worker brood with a sprinkling of capped drone cells. Several days ago when I inspected all queen cells were open and empty and there were no drones. I couldn’t find a queen or eggs.
Today I was going to determine whether to buy a queen or plot which hive to raid more brood from. Still no drones, but I have 4 other hives that do and they don’t care what hive a queen comes from but that is a non issue now. I raided a big hive of 2 full frames of capped honey to give the split a boost. I need to start writing down the dates I inspect. I don’t know if the queen was a slow starter or if I were impatient with worry. Sorry for rambling, just so relieved!!
Will do, Gayle. My local beekeepers have admonished me not to open everything back up again too quickly, and I’ve set myself on waiting ten days to check inside. I never realized how hard that would be. I want to open it up every day! For now I’m checking on them from the outside on sunny days and there is still lots of activity from foragers in and out of both boxes. It has been four days since the split with two rainy days and two sunny days.
Ahhhh sweet relief! Congrats. I am sitting here stewing, second-guessing myself. Can’t wait to open mine up and see what’s been going on in there!
Update. I did a lid-off peek when the sun came out yesterday. Good news - there are foragers coming and going from both hives, which are side by side - though the original is still double as strong. Homeward bees were so full, they were wobbly! Adding a honey super to the original hive just in case. We’re on the verge of a flow here.
The new hive is working hard to clean the comb in the new deep I gave them, so have not inhabited it yet, but it was covered with worker bees hard at work cleaning out cells. I pulled out one frame and they have redistributed some of the honey into the bottom box. They were very mellow.
On Sunday I will inspect for eggs or queen cells in the new split hive, and if I find none - I will cry. Then I will move a frame of eggs from the stronger hive into the new hive and be anxious for another week!
Will update after the weekend.
You will lose foragers by not moving the new box but there is a way round this.
All you do is shake extra frames in before you close up and add more bees in a similar fashion the next day and the day after. Always works for me.
When I say the new hive is weaker, it’s relative. There is one brood box that is packed to the gills with bees. When I take the lid off, I can barely see the tops of the frames!
Thanks Danger. I switched the hive positions and they are evening out nicely. They filled 6 frames of honey in the second brood box so I added a super!
Here’s an update for Gayle that we found yesterday in the hive we split …
What a beautiful queen cell! Just perfect She is going to be a BIG one.
Hey Gayle guess what I found yesterday? A BIG queen, as predicted! Thanks everyone. So happy to head into this winter with two hives instead of only one!
@Lori_Falkner_Volkman Fabulous!!