Bailey frame change on a WBC

[MuswellMetro]

Ok, i have done or helped to do Bailey changes on Langstroth, Nationals, Rose OSB, 14x12, Smiths and Commercail but never a WBC

So how do you get the upper entrance on a WBC for the bailey frame change becuase i have to help a friend and these 1890 hives are a bit more complcated than langstroth's 1851 champagne box or a national

 

[SteeveeTee]

I did one of these last year, and just let the bees in and walk over the bottom brood chamber. This is not ideal but I figured the brood frames were only two years old so cleanish anyway. If you were desperate I suppose you could put a snelgrove board on, or make up an eke with a doorway, there is a gap between the bottom brood box and the stop bar above the landing board that is normally closed up but moving the brood box will allow this to open so the bees can get up to the door in the second brood box.

 

[itma]

Borrow a couple of National brood boxes.
Remember that the frames are just National. Although with fewer of them, make sure you have nice dummy boards ... !

Its the same as the best way to move a colony in a WBC ... start by taking them out of the garden ornament!

 

[For want of a better word]

I did one of these last year, and just let the bees in and walk over the bottom brood chamber. This is not ideal but I figured the brood frames were only two years old so cleanish anyway. If you were desperate I suppose you could put a snelgrove board on, or make up an eke with a doorway, there is a gap between the bottom brood box and the stop bar above the landing board that is normally closed up but moving the brood box will allow this to open so the bees can get up to the door in the second brood box.

Yes use a Harries board... an eke with an entrance, cut at an angle on each side to fit nicely.

Nowt wrong with WBC's... just requires a little more skill and patience !

Yeghes da

 

[oliver90owner]

What is this fad about moving the entrance? Just let the bees get on with the job for three weeks after putting the queen upstairs. They will be raising brood in that bottom box for the next three weeks anyway.

 

[For want of a better word]

What is this fad about moving the entrance? Just let the bees get on with the job for three weeks after putting the queen upstairs. They will be raising brood in that bottom box for the next three weeks anyway.

Some it seems like to faff about with their bees... wish I had the time!


Yeghes da

 

[itma]

What is this fad about moving the entrance? ...

Is your Hoover a Dyson?

I ask because the Bailey is a specific optimised method, not a generic.
Pick'n'mix to make all the foragers pass from a bottom entrance through the old comb to get to the new, and I don't think one should be calling it a "Bailey comb change".

 

[MuswellMetro]

Is your Hoover a Dyson?

I ask because the Bailey is a specific optimised method, not a generic.
Pick'n'mix to make all the foragers pass from a bottom entrance through the old comb to get to the new, and I don't think one should be calling it a "Bailey comb change".

yes, We want to get the nosemic wbc colony off the dirty comb ( The WBC owner uses commercials on his other hives)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What is this fad about moving the entrance? Just let the bees get on with the job for three weeks after putting the queen upstairs. They will be raising brood in that bottom box for the next three weeks anyway.

people just trying to reinvent the wheel for a totally different reason - the NBU give the reason for moving the entrance as to discourage storing of pollen in the old box - nothing to do with hygiene

 

[BeeJayBee]

yes, We want to get the nosemic wbc colony off the dirty comb ( The WBC owner uses commercials on his other hives)

They'll still be walking on it whether there's an upper entrance or not, at least until all the brood is capped.

 

[oliver90owner]

They'll still be walking on it whether there's an upper entrance or not, at least until all the brood is capped.

Eggzackerly! And the pupae will need some bee cover for warmth, probably for the duration, until emergence. Bees traversing from the entrance to the upper box will not use more than the optimal path, so next to the entrance will be very comprehensively walked over.

Furthermore, there is no suggestion of nosema being a problem here or in most Bailey changes. No real evidence that no spores would be transferred, even with a second entry. Keep it simple, I say. Leave it, do itand just get on with life.

As an aside, the colony (one of mine) with streaks on the outside of the hive, probably has nosema present. It is certainly not a large problem. They appear to have thrown off the infection and the infection is very likely back to the usual background level, at which it will likely remain. With such an active colony, I am not even going to check for the disease. Some spores will be there and I am not going to worry about it!

 

[Bosleeu]

I agree with all the above, no need for an upper entrance. The bees move themselves and stores from box to box wherever the entrance is.

If you really want to do it that way, probably best to do it without the WBC bits and transfer back once completed.

 

[MuswellMetro]

They'll still be walking on it whether there's an upper entrance or not, at least until all the brood is capped.

Eggzackerly! And the pupae will need some bee cover for warmth, probably for the duration, until emergence. Bees traversing from the entrance to the upper box will not use more than the optimal path, so next to the entrance will be very comprehensively walked over.

Furthermore, there is no suggestion of nosema being a problem here or in most Bailey changes. No real evidence that no spores would be transferred, even with a second entry. Keep it simple, I say. Leave it, do itand just get on with life.

As an aside, the colony (one of mine) with streaks on the outside of the hive, probably has nosema present. It is certainly not a large problem. They appear to have thrown off the infection and the infection is very likely back to the usual background level, at which it will likely remain. With such an active colony, I am not even going to check for the disease. Some spores will be there and I am not going to worry about it!

RAB, i prefer to do it with an upper entrance as that was the way it was done at rothamsted when i worked there as general dogsbody and tractor Driver on summer vacation work as a college student, i am sure there are ways you prefer to do things

the upper entrnce has nothing to do with disease transfer, it is to stop the pollen being stored on the frames below the QEx and therebye reduce the amount of brood they are able to support at that critical time once you remove the lower box /pollen at three weeks

just never done in on a WBC ( the Dartington might be more of a problem though)

 

[Hivemaker.]

Just leave the lifts off while doing the comb change, and do it the same as for a national hive, use a square of kingspan with a couple of stones on for a temporary roof.