Advice for inspections

[Zante]

I am having some difficulty with doing inspections. The frames that came in the nuc are a bit overdrawn, which makes them a bit tight to pull out, also they're pasted with propolis, which again doesn't help. The size of dadant frames (with their weight) adds to the awkwardness.

This makes the bees a bit tetchy when I try to inspection, no doubt compounded by my inexperience in handling frames. The result is that after two weeks I'm not sure whether I still have a queen. I don't have a particular reason to believe I've lost either of my queens, other that my clumsiness when transferring the frames to the hive, but you now what it's like, I've ne er seen them yet, and I'm having difficulty seeing any eggs.

Today was supposed to be my first proper inspection, I was planning to do it over the weekend, but the weather was a bit chilly. Today the temperatures were definitely better, but I did the inspection after work (6:30 or so) and there were a few clouds in the sky. The result was that I was able to inspect only a couple of frames before I had to leave them alone, and on those frames I saw no eggs. Mind you, I had some difficulty seeing the larvae in the deep, black wax with the light starting to go, so I'm not sure whether it means anything.

To help with the issue of overdrawn comb I was thinking of starting to separate the old frames with new ones with foundation. not ideal, but the acacia flow has started, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Once that one is drawn separate two black combs with another new frame, and so on. Eventually I'll start removing the black combs, one at a time.

What do you think?

 

[B+.]

What do you think?

An led torch would be a useful addition to your bee kit. Alternatively, replace some of your darker combs each year. This would make it much easier to see eggs.

 

[Psycad]

Hi Zante

I have exactly the same problem.
A beginner and rather nervous in handling the frames.

My wife has a camera with a 300mm lens and is making pics of the frames from a respectable distance.
I had hoped that it would allow me to inspect based on the pics but that plan does not work.

So yes, guess I have to be patient and learn.

Salaam

 

[Zante]

An led torch would be a useful addition to your bee kit. Alternatively, replace some of your darker combs each year. This would make it much easier to see eggs.

I had thought of the torch, but that doesn't solve the issue of the overdrawn comb. Do you think separating the comb with one frame of foundation at a time is a good idea?

I suppose regarding the propolis I should just scrape off as much as possible...

 

[mbc]

I had thought of the torch, but that doesn't solve the issue of the overdrawn comb. Do you think separating the comb with one frame of foundation at a time is a good idea?

I suppose regarding the propolis I should just scrape off as much as possible...

Overdrawn combs sounds like a spacing issue, push them up tight to the correct spacing and the bees will sort it out, leave more than a bee space between combs and they like to fill it.

 

[Zante]

Overdrawn combs sounds like a spacing issue, push them up tight to the correct spacing and the bees will sort it out, leave more than a bee space between combs and they like to fill it.

Can't do that. Here castellations are the thing, so that's the spacing I get. There are no self spacing frames here.

They were overdrawn in the nuc I bought them in which had the same spacing and castellations. I don't know, maybe it's the way the beekeeper that sold them kept them to be certified "organic".

In any case, these are the frames I have and I can't change the spacing. I want to get rid of those combs ASAP as they are very old and the wax is black. I'm not worried about not getting a crop this year, I was going to consider it a bonus if I got the chance to get some honey.

Would inserting a single frame of foundation (or partially drawn foundation) between two old combs help, until I manage to phase out the old combs? The idea is to shift the black comb and place one frame of foundation. Once that is drawn repeat with another, and so on. Once all the foundation is drawn move the black comb, one step at a time, to the edge, and replace, one at a time with foundation. Basically I'd like to end the year with the box full of new comb and the black wax melted.

 

[For want of a better word]

Ditch the castellations... we only use them in supers to maximise the honey in the comb
short plastic spacers for brood or even supers.... cost peanuts and are available on eBay ( Simonthebeekeeper)

Yeghes da

 

[BMH]

Basically I'd like to end the year with the box full of new comb and the black wax melted.

You will get practically zero usable wax from old black brood frames

Id keep them somewhere away from wax moth to use as swarm lures in your bait hives.

 

[MerryBee]

Why not put on a queen excluder then a second brood box above it. Put the old black frames in the centre of the upper box, and put all the good frames together in the centre of the lower box and make sure the queen stays in the lower box.Fill up the space with drawn comb/foundation. After 3 weeks the brood in the upper box will have emerged and the frames can be removed. If you are using foundation you need to make sure there is a flow, or alternatively feed sugar syrup to enable the bees to draw the foundation.

 

[masterBK]

LaL5000: I get just over a kilogram of wax from melting down 14 deep old combs using a steam wax extractor. My 24+ hives generates about 60 Kg of saleable wax a year from cappings and the melting down of over 100 old combs.

 

[Zante]

Ditch the castellations... we only use them in supers to maximise the honey in the comb
short plastic spacers for brood or even supers.... cost peanuts and are available on eBay ( Simonthebeekeeper)

Yeghes da

Will they be the right size for Dadant-Blatt hives?

 

[madasafish]

I would start by using a dummy board at one end - whichever end you start inspections from.
That means you can lift it out first and future frames come out more easily.

 

[Levitt53]

I'm on my second year but I can't see eggs without my magnifying glass with a torch. It's a bit of a faff so I only search if I need to. Larvae are easier to see once you get your eye in. As for queens one of my two was supposed to be marked but could I see her? I've only once spotted the unmarked one and I wasn't looking for her she just caught my eye. I'm going to wait until the weather is much warmed and the bees are more relaxed and hone my skills.

 

[Zante]

I would start by using a dummy board at one end - whichever end you start inspections from.
That means you can lift it out first and future frames come out more easily.

That could be a good idea. Dadant brood boxes are big, and I'm sure they can do with 9 frames instead of 10.

 

[drex]

I've only once spotted the unmarked one and I wasn't looking for her she just caught my eye. I'm going to wait until the weather is much warmed and the bees are more relaxed and hone my skills.

That is the best way of finding a queen. When " I am looking for the queen" I don't actually look for her but rather something that catches my eye. For example a bee that behaves different,y to the others, bees encircling another bee - her retinue, a bee with an odd walk etc. I know it sounds odd, but it works for me, and probably lots of others.

 

[colinc]

My unmarked queen was always easier to spot than the marked one. The marked one I suspect would run and hide when she smells smoke. Marked the new queen last week so hoping she doesn't start hiding too.


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[BMH]

LaL5000: I get just over a kilogram of wax from melting down 14 deep old combs using a steam wax extractor. My 24+ hives generates about 60 Kg of saleable wax a year from cappings and the melting down of over 100 old combs.

You can get wax from cappings and old combs but when they are really black I really dont see the point in rendering them down.

There IMO isnt much usable wax in them.

 

[Poly Hive]

Zante? Can you get someone with experience to show you eggs? It's a case of getting your eye tuned in and once tuned it's like cycling you may get rusty but won't ever lose it. Same for finding queens.

As for spacing. There are bits of kit for every frame size so I suggest you look at some of the big European suppliers. Lyson and Thomas might be a good start.

Be proactive.

PH

 

[Zante]

Zante? Can you get someone with experience to show you eggs? It's a case of getting your eye tuned in and once tuned it's like cycling you may get rusty but won't ever lose it. Same for finding queens.

As for spacing. There are bits of kit for every frame size so I suggest you look at some of the big European suppliers. Lyson and Thomas might be a good start.

Be proactive.

PH

I'm not too worried about not being able to see eggs per se. I was fine with seeing them when I was training. I even helped the beekeeper I was training with to pick up an egg from a cell to graft in a queen cup.
It's the difficulty in handling the larger dadant frames when they're also overdrawn making it more difficult to pull them out without annoying the bees. And annoyed bees didn't allow me the time to spect the other frames.
The cells are so deep that I was having difficulty in seeing some of the larvae, the large ones that fill the cell, and I can only handle a couple of frames before the bees get annoyed (can't blame them)
I'm sure inexperience has its part, but this overdrawn comb isn't helping.

As for the spacers... well... to be honest I'm quite happy with castellations. I might consider removing them to make things easier while I have these old frames, but while I was training in the apiary there were hives with and without castellations, and I did prefer the ones with.

 

[masterBK]

Zante: You usually graft larvae not eggs (not sure anyone grafts eggs these days although I think Brother Adam tried it out).
Honyebee eggs glow under dark (UV) light. You can get LED dark light torches (for spotting urine stains left by your cat on carpet) which can make the job of seeing eggs a little easier. To see eggs need to angle the comb so that light reflects from the bottom of the cells.