This message may look familiar to Nigel. I tried to PM him but it's stuck in the outbox...
Unfortunately the delayed visit from the gentleman at my association came on Wednesday, when I had planned to heed advice in this thread. I've been hesitant about posting because what happened was contrary to advice here. However I am concerned as he hasn't done what I had planned and he went another route. As someone with weeks of experience I felt I couldn't confidently tell this guy of 20+ years what I was doing and why.
We opened the hive that I previously found 2 queen cells on. I saw three. So straight away I wanted to follow advice on my thread - take frame with queen and 3 others to put in my 6 frame Maisies nuc.
He said no, carved out the queen cells and took them to put in his incubator and told me to keep an eye on the hive in 5 days (when thunderstorms are due might I add).
I told him everything about the hive and still he wanted to take QCs down a second time. I'm not pitting experienced beekeepers against each other and I'll not be going backwards and forwards between forums and him - it's just that his visit was delayed a couple times and when he was finally available it so happened to fall within this crazy period.
So if you're still happy to advise - should I just go out there today when the weather is best and take the frame with the queen and 2/3 others and stick in my nuc? Then let the hive sort itself out?
In other news, they have built up a lot and started drawing comb on the super. I need the QE on though as I forgot to do that, again