bees avoiding the super

[menteth]

Thanks Finman. splendid. Thanks for your help

 

[Poly Hive]

Precisely.

If they want it for storage it is there for them but we are still in the dark as to how "strong" this colony is?

What one person thinks is strong because there are "lots of bees" to the more experienced is a middling colony.

I am dubious about the wax, there was a while that there were some very odd lots of foundation around and had thought that was in the past but people do keep stuff around and..... I wonder.

PH

 

[jackbee]

Are you really mad in your suggestions!!!

Here a beginners makes fault observations from his hive and other goes on walls like ping pong ball.
.

ah, but sanity/insanity is a function of societal mores

i think i'm learning to appreciate your delivery and just enjoy the madness of it finman

or maybe i'm just in a good mood this morning

 

[Phayze]

After taking some wise advice from here a few weeks ago I covered the holes in my clearer/"crown" board and removed the q/e my bees went up after a couple of days and started to draw the foundation

 

[Finman]

ah, but sanity/insanity is a function of societal mores

i think i'm learning to appreciate your delivery and just enjoy the madness of it finman

or maybe i'm just in a good mood this morning

yeah, i know.
I cannot win in debate studip persons or 2-hive owners. But I try and try

 

[meidel]

yeah, i know.
I cannot win in debate studip persons or 2-hive owners. But I try and try

oy why do you keep putting the 2 hive owners down? some people may be 2 hive owners due to financial contraints, limited space or they may just be very good at swarm control every year!

I respect your knowledge Fin (and also your try and try and not giving up on lesser mortals) and I find your delivery humorous and inoffensive, but I sometimes feel enough is enough!

 

[Finman]

.
Sorry. My cruising missile slipped from hands. So sorry. But it knew a target.
First win over 2-hive owners.

 

[MandF]

Still on the fire-water I see

 

[jackbee]

yeah, i know.
I cannot win in debate studip persons or 2-hive owners. But I try and try

I'm the same with 50 yrs experience (old dogs - tricks)

but the world loves a tryer

 

[jackbee]

maybe we should form a 2-hive beek finman appreciation society and convert him - what do you reckon fiman??

 

[menteth]

Hi Finman. Brilliant idea of yours. Drop a cruising missile into my hive, that'll get the bees up into the super.

Also, is this a debate?
How about turning the hive upside down?
Beat that for an idea

 

[menteth]

Hi poly hive, you're quite right. I haven't looked in, or experienced enough hives to know what constitutes strong etc. All I can say, is that when doing a hive inspection every one of the 11 frames in the brood box, is seemingly covered in bees. Very unlike they were last year (with the old queen) when there were 8-9 frames of bees and much thinner on the frame (inspected late evening when they're home). In other hives I've seen, the end two frames often look sparse. Not mine.

What I'm going to do is; put 3 frames of different foundation amongst the ones they are rejecting in the super. So if they go for the different foundation then I'll know it is a foundation thing.

On the 2 hives stupidity issue that everyone seems so convinced of; my whole life makes sense now.
And I'm definitely going to stick with two hives (so I can carry on blaming my parents).

best

 

[Poly Hive]

The thing is Menteth that a small colony can cover all the frames during the day and look strong.

The real way to judge a colonies strength is frames of brood.

I have some on 22 frames of brood. I call that strongish... lol

PH

 

[menteth]

hi poly hive, I only have a lowly national hive. All 11 frames in the brood chamber have brood at some stage. That was my my original point. There is so much brood, that there is seemingly no room for food storage. Brood right up to all corners.
My problem was always twofold:
They don't have any room to store food down stairs
And they don't want to go upstairs

But I now see (after chatting to you), that maybe I need more brood box space too.
And I'm beginning to think I should just give them some more room downstairs in the brood area, and leave them to get on with it.

Lastly, and I hope you or anyone else can answer this; my queen hatched this year 6 weeks ago, so, will a new queen swarm, especially when she's laying so strong, and is new? Or is this unlikely.

Thanks

Ps Finman seems to be the leader of some type of cult, how do we get hold of the application form to join?

 

[madasafish]

Ps Finman seems to be the leader of some type of cult, how do we get hold of the application form to join?

Crates of hi strength alcohol, send to him CIF and duty paid?

 

[MandF]

I believe he accepts old boots to chuck into his moonshine vat too.

 

[itma]

...
What I'm going to do is; put 3 frames of different foundation amongst the ones they are rejecting in the super. So if they go for the different foundation then I'll know it is a foundation thing.
...

Don't wait for different foundation to arrive.
Get a shallow box under your brood box asap. (When it isn't a 'super'.)
Whether or not you put one on top as well is up to you.
And later swap in some different foundation when it shows up.


The complete lack of spare drawn comb is something that seems to be easily forgotten when that particular experience was 15, 30 or 50 years ago.
And, all those years ago, they might not have had this particular problem and thus never actually had relevant experience to offer.
Putting in some drawn comb would be the most common reaction - and that simply isn't available to you.

Watch like a hawk for charged Queen Cells.
And be ready to do an Artificial Swarm quickly if you see plural of them, and round the edges of the frames ...

 

[enrico]

Quote...Lastly, and I hope you or anyone else can answer this; my queen hatched this year 6 weeks ago, so, will a new queen swarm, especially when she's laying so strong, and is new? Or is this unlikely. ...unquote

Oh yes, queens can swarm whenever they want. There are general rules which encourage this but any queen CAN swarm at any time. The one thing that you can count on ( in my experience) is that a swarm needs to leave queen cells of some description. So.....you have a strong hive of brood, could swarm.....little food, lessens the chance...... No queen cells, even less likely......but if queen cells appear, very likely. Keep your eyes open!
E

 

[miniegg]

Hi Menteth. I'm a born again beekeeper

In my old hives, I once had bees that were not keen to shift. It certainly isn't recommended and lots of people will say it's not advisable but I put a little bit of honey on my foundation sheets (carefully and quickly to avoid robbing and mobbing!) and they shot up into the super and drew it out happily after that.

Don't worry though. If they want to go up there, they will. If they don't want to, they won't. If they seem happy, let them be? Or am I showing my novice credentials here too?

 

[menteth]

Hi Itma,
Gosh, thanks for help. Literally scores of queen cups at the moment. Everywhere (last week). Destroyed them.
looks like you hit the nail. Thanks. Such a shame I've been out site welding all week so have not been able to keep an eye out during this hot weather. Fingers crossed. Back tomorrow.
Not keeping the drawn comb, (I can now see) was not wise. Big fat lesson learned.
Eyes open from tomorrow
Thanks.