Bailey Frame Change

[Polyanwood]

I don't want to get into the argument about why Bailey frame change rather than shook swarm.....

Just a question....... I plan to get started tomorrow because I don't have enough kit to do them all at the same time and I want to scorch the boxes before I use them again. Therefore I want to stagger it a bit. Do you think it is too early?

 

[Hivemaker.]

How strong are they,how many frames of brood and bee's.

 

[Polyanwood]

I thought I would start with the busier ones that are on 5/6 frames of brood... to be honest I am not exactly sure how many frames because it has mostly been too cold to inspect when I have visited them. Last week when they were all flying well, I just pulled out a frame from near the middle of each of the hives to see there was brood and eggs and not drone laying.

I have been down Wickes and made dummy boards to use this year, to keep the heat in a bit... thought I would put the boards on either side of say 5 frames to keep them a bit warmer... good idea?

PS: The bigger colonies had bees on all the frames. The smallest ones only had bees on 5 frames.

 

[Midland Beek]

I would say too early. April in the UK is typically too chilly to get the bees drawing boxes of foundation.

If you haven't the equipment to do them all in one go, I would have a re-think of your idea to Bailey change them all. Perhaps think in terms of Bailey changing just one or two stocks a season.

 

[grizzly]

I did a Bailey change this time last year, however temps were more than double current ones.

I reckon wait till we are forecast consistent temps in the teens,

Sounds like you have some lovely colonies there with good Bees.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I don't want to get into the argument about why Bailey frame change rather than shook swarm.....

Just a question....... I plan to get started tomorrow because I don't have enough kit to do them all at the same time and I want to scorch the boxes before I use them again. Therefore I want to stagger it a bit. Do you think it is too early?

i use two supers as a temp brood box ( donor hive), scorch the over wintered hive then ,then start a bailey, think you have to delay, wait until dandelions are out

i have been balled out on here for leaving the QX on until moving up the queen but i find it stops queen cells in the lower box especially if going from standard frames to 14x12...extended brood area less pheromones etc

 

[oliver90owner]

Scorching is irrelevant in the context of the thread, as you only need one spare box, floor and coverboard to do that.

Do it as soon as possible (weather conducive) as it will obviously take more than three weeks per hive - possibly five, which is possibly about six months for you!

Minimise the space below and above and seal dividers top and sides in the top box to retain maximum warmth (for comb drawing).

While waiting for the first, make or purchase another box or two as swarming season will (hopefully) be soon upon us and you seem to be light on spare kit. Alternatively if you have loads of spare nucs, you could use these to speed things up a bit. Just need some organisation and suitable covers made.

Regards, RAB

 

[MuswellMetro]

.

Do it as soon as possible (weather conducive) as it will obviously take more than three weeks per hive - possibly five, which is possibly about six months for you.

Pier corbyn April free weather forecast, is for warm weather last week in april

APRIL 2010 – Essential Summary forecast:
Continuing delayed Spring.
Wet, cold & cloudy with floods, hail sleet
& snow at times in parts for first 3 weeks.
Last week - Spring at last! Mostly dry
warm and fine.


he has a better long range track records than the Met office