Bees don't like my super?

[Nick W]

Hi

I have a swarm in my Hive which is about 1 month old.

They are filling the brood chambers which is really full (14x12).

I have a super on top with plastic frames but premium wax.

As yet, they haven't touched it.

Is that ok for the moment?

Cheers

NIck

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hi

I have a swarm in my Hive which is about 1 month old.

They are filling the brood chambers which is really full (14x12).

I have a super on top with plastic frames but premium wax.

As yet, they haven't touched it.

Is that ok for the moment?

Cheers

NIck

seems a problem this year with some foundation. our beginer had problems with foundation bought at stoneleigh...wheras the nuc i have from the same source in a 14x12 the bees started on the super as soon as i put it on ( KBS foundation)

try removing the QX for a few days, could be they do not like it sloted metal and plastic ones as not that bee freidly as theyget wing damage

if putting it back on stops them drawing ( make sure the queen is downstairs, then try the QX at right angles or buy a wire one

 

[Nick W]

I have Thornes premium and the Maisemore Plastic QX at a 90 degree angle to the frames.

Cheers

Nick

 

[Hivemaker.]

Yes thats okay for the moment,swarm a month old in a big brood box is now mainly full of young bee's,big die of off the original swarm bee's/foragers....give them more time,but if it's an old queen they may not even need any more space if she reduces laying.

 

[Ewok]

Hi Nick,

I've had the same problems recently. The more experienced beeks from my local association have all said that bees can be a bit reluctant to draw out supers at this time of year.

Do you have enough bees there? Are they going into the super but not drawing it out? Or just not going into the super?

Try to swap some of your undrawn super frames for some drawn frames - I did this & put just 1 frame in each super on 3 of my hives & they are all now in the supers drawing out the rest of the frames. Re-ordering the frames in the super like you would a brood chamber early in the season helped them draw out the foundation a bit quicker. I've just had to add another super to one, but haven't checked their progress in that one yet.

If you can't get any drawn frames, try putting a super frame into the brood box. Leave it there for a day to get it started & then swop it to the super. Don't leave it too long in the brood box, get it out before the queen lays in it.
I'm currently doing this with a hive that's queen less, so there's no danger of getting eggs in the super frames.

 

[Biddly]

I have a swarm ( small one for just over a month ) and on my first inspection found all the frames in the brood box apart from the one at each end had been drawn out and had eggs etc and stores in the frames. So i added a super and a queen excluder. Had a look a couple of day later and about 5 bees in the super !. Thanks to the advice given on other posts on this forum i removed the queen excluder and have been feeding 1 : 1 syrup to give them a little help ( about 1 ltr of fresh syrup a week, sometimes a bit taken other times all gone ). In a week all the frames have been drawn out and the middle super frame has a lot of stores in it ( both sides ) and all the super frames are covered in bees.

 

[oliver90owner]

Biddly,

I hope you like 'sugar honey' if you are expecting a crop. Presumably you do not intend offering it for sale....

Regards, RAB

 

[Biddly]

As a small swarm , trying to build them up to get them through the winter ( not to sell honey or take anything this year) should i not be giving them syrup ? I have had differing advice ( from feed 1 : 1 to feed 2 : 1 ) as small swarm, feed as June gap but stop July etc .Today, which is warm and humid, alot of bees foraging and constantly in/out, many coming back with pollen. Very active.

 

[oliver90owner]

They certainly do need feed. But they will have foragers to do that and they will need pollen (protein) and carbohydrate (nectar) for the larvae development. They will also need space for more bees. If they are getting enough pollen and nectar for the larvae, plus a little extra, that should be adequate at this time of year. They need more egg-laying not cells filled with honey. More brood space is most important.

Things like: was this a prime swarm or a cast? I am thinking prime as a Langstroth box has been filled (a cast would likely only just have emerging bees). Are you intending overwintering on a brood and a half? If so, why bother with a queen excluder in the first place! If overwintering on a double brood.......

Regards, RAB