The Demaree Split: Swarm Control Made Easy!

[@ME_MeAndMyBees]

Hi JohnC Here in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 we use the Demarre Method to 1) Get a Good Honey Harvest. 2) Also to ensure each Colony has a Young Queen to go through Winter with. (Say a Queen Younger than x3 Yrs.) Rather than go through that Top Box and 'cut out' all those 'unwanted' Queen Cells :why not "use them". Either take x1 Frame with x1 Queen Cell on it. Or Take a Frame with Bees in all Stages (BIAS) and add this to a Nuc Box (Poly x6 Frs, a x3 Fr Wood) what ever Nucs you have. 2*) Adding a QC step: See further below . . . 👀 1) Add that Frame with Bees. Also a Frame of Resources (Capped, Uncapped Honey, with Pollen (Bee Bread) and also Feed them 1:1 Ratio Syrup (equal parts Sugar to Water) If they have a QC on Frame : leave the Colony well alone for say x28 Days. To allow the Virgin Queen to Hatch (16th Day) Go on Mating Flights several times. Return. Start to lay up Viable Eggs. . . After nearly a Month : You should have Brood in all Stages (Eggs, x3 Day Larva, Capped over Worker Brood) also depending on Nature : some Drone Brood too : See Bee Physiology in action. (Reproductive time late April until late August here in the UK.) If their is a messy Drone pattern/lots of gaps : You have a laying 'Worker' ! (Thats a Doomed Colony.) Shake it out ! 2*) Add a Frame of Bees, Resources etc. Also select the best "Queen Cell" you have : Nice mid Length. Well Dimpled. One that you can Cut Carefully ✂️ out of the Foundation, with a good Margin of Spare Wax about it. Then carefully trim unwanted wax away. So the Queen Cell 'Tip' especially has room to be nibbled "Open" ! By the emerging Virgin Queen. 👍 You can also add an Queen Cell into say a 'Roller Cage' QC at top with its Tip lower most. Allow 'Nurse' Bees and Workers to feed these 'held captured' emerging Virgin Queens. Then make up several Splits. Await x24hrs. Then add the VQ in her Cage : with a Dab on Fondant as a bottom Plug : thus aiding a 'slow release acceptance' where she will go onto her Mating Flight(s). Virgin Queens are fine held caged say for x3 or x4 Days but no longer. (Weather may delay her Mating : but she chooses when to go !) So an odd day later is still OK. Hope this helps. 😎 Ps. You can also Bank Mated Queens in Roller Cages too. Sell any spare unwanted ones onto eg Members of your Bee Club etc. Again Queens & Virgin Queens need Attendents to Feed them : so add eg x4 or x5 Bees prior to Travel. And add a Small Piece of Fondant inside that Lid prior to adding in any Bee into that Roller Cage. . . Good luck. 👍 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Happy Beekeeping 2024 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

[@beebob1279]

I guess he could have done that with the third box that he put to the side. He didn't mention what he did with that. IT would be a perfect opportunity to raise a few queen with that one like you said.

[@johnconly8769]

Ty for the information this will help.

[@swohiobees]

There are many uses for the Demaree & yes,it would work great to safely raise a new queen.

[@pshaskins1]

Great explanation. Thank you

[@albertmahe5492]

brilliant model

[@dennisbarney869]

Great demonstration thanks.

[@swohiobees]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@homerspringfarms4653]

Great demo you nailed it

[@swohiobees]

Thank you. Feel free to share it.

[@baiaishahlapasam8717]

You r great sir, i learnt now thank you😊

[@swohiobees]

Your support means a lot to me, thank you for watching and learning from my content!

[@mooseman5837]

I got a question. Do you need to go back in the bottom box where the queen is later to see if there is swarm cells or will she only want to swarm in the beginning of the honey flow. Thanks.

[@swohiobees]

Yes, that doesn't change. However, this method gives you 2-4 weeks before they could reach that point again. In most cases this will get you past the main swarm season.

[@Red_Scarf_Apiary]

Hi, Glad I saw your video. With the brood above the excluder, how do you manage any drones that’ll hatch in the upper brood box? Thanks…

[@swohiobees]

Very good question. I did miss that discussion in the video. They do tend to fly out when checking for Queen cells. Also, I remove the upper box in about a month. If you want to leave it on, you can use an upper entrance.

[@Red_Scarf_Apiary]

@@swohiobees Appreciate it. Makes sense.

[@beebob1279]

Nice demonstration. You started out with two deeps. You replaced everything with an empty deep. Put two frames and the queen in that new box on the stand. The forgotten thing is that you still have another box that you put to the side and didn't discuss what you did with that. You should have had three deeps on the hive. Did you make a split with that third extra box? In your next video can you discuss what you did with it? Thanks. I've done the Demaree many times.

[@swohiobees]

You would normally put all of the original deeps up top. My model just didn't have enough deeps to show that.

[@mudsongs]

I'd like to know where I can get some of the beehive props you use the video. They could come in really handy when I'm trying to explain things to new beekeepers.

[@swohiobees]

They will soon be available on my web site: swohiobees.com Send me a message & I'll let you know when they are available: [e-mail]

[@tsensenig8045]

Clear explanation with very cute props. Would the Demaree procedure need to be repeated later in the season? With high population, would swarming not be a possibility? Thank you.

[@swohiobees]

With an average Queen, likely not. However, with a very productive queen, Yes that is a very real possibility.

[@agenzz2385]

Could you use something like Tempqueen (synthetic queen mandibular pheremone) in the top brood box? would that prevent them making queen cells?

[@swohiobees]

Hmmm not tried that - may work. However it "could" also cause the bees up there to then attack the queen below. Totally untested theory... at least to my knowledge.

[@agenzz2385]

@@swohiobees going into my first year beekeeping so most my knowledge is theoretical but was just wondering if its a viable option if say something came up a week after you did the initial manipulation

[@swohiobees]

@@agenzz2385 - In theory, it could work.

[@beebob1279]

Good point. At least to get through the urge to build them when there are no larva left.

[@jamesarnold5571]

Thanks

[@swohiobees]

Thank you for watching.

[@patrickt863]

Question: we've had a cool spring. Too cool to open the hives. Then rain and more rain. Then as I was about to try this, my hives swarmed. Might I have another chance to use this demaree method this season?

[@swohiobees]

It sounds like you've had quite the adventure with your hives this season! Hopefully, you got another chance to try the Demaree method.

[@willdelito8561]

GREAT PROPS, WHERE CAN I PURCHASE A GNOME, SMALL HIVE?

[@swohiobees]

They will soon be available on my web site: swohiobees.com Send me a message & I'll let you know when they are available: [e-mail]

[@tonywestsbees6042]

Bees swarming or making splits definitely kills your honey production. As you know, I Demaree my production colonies every year. No swarming and much bigger honey crops than before. Everyone should try it. There is a learning curve but it works. This is very popular in Great Britain even though it was developed in Kentucky.

[@swohiobees]

It looks easy, but I have messed up more than one Demaree split.

[@johnconly8769]

Can you use the queen cells in small splits. Do you think they will make good queens? Thanks for the video

[@swohiobees]

Yes, absolutely. I do that when making resource hives - 4 frame boxes. Great way to always have a spare queen.

[@johnconly8769]

Thanks for the reply. I’m in Louisiana. Going try this for first time.

[@samuelmast2174]

Yes, some of the best queens👍

[@gallowaylights]

They are some small bees....😂 ha ha