Beginners luck ?

[Cazza]

I watched your video -I want to know how long they take to they draw out the rest of the brood box.
Would they have done more in the brood box if you've not put supers on?

I think that is a good point. I would prefer that there was a lot more room in my BB for the queen to lay so I would not have added 2 supers so quickly.
Cazza

 

[NickBrown]

Oliver, I have ended up with all Hoffman frames as they were all that was available to pick up at short notice, so there are 12 in the brood box. I was told not to leave any large gaps bigger than 8mm or the bees will try to build wax bridges and the whole hive will become a nightmare to keep organised

I was expecting that there would be an option to buy either a full set, or 10 and singles as required, but there was only a 10 at a time option. Once the membership of the local beekeepers comes through I will be able to get a heads up on the prefered local retailers, but it has all been a bit of a rush so I had to buy what was available.

 

[NickBrown]

I was told the 20 minute rule was the maximum time to have the lid off, because the bees have it at their precise temperature and you will either chill or overheat the whole thing if you are busy rummaging about for too long.
As this was still a newly captured swarm there was also the chance that if I upset optimal conditions too much they may well decide to buzz off, literally.

 

[Finman]

I want to ask about the 20 minute rule too.

It's unlikely they need a super on. The extra space isn't needed and they will have to build the brood box first.
If you put a super on they may just go up rather than filling across the brood box.

Bees know what they do. Give them enough room. In heavy flow I have given 3 foundation boxes at same time, but on poor pastures they draw only half box. Who knows what they will do?

20 minutes rule?

I spend as much as needed.

 

[madasafish]

Does that include foreplay?

What is that?

 

[NickBrown]

Ratcatcher, the swarm when clumped up was about rugby ball size and shape. When I opened the hive last night to get the branch bits out they had stuck 3 pieces of comb about the size of a side plate and one almost dinner plate size to the roof and had filled some with "honey" I'm guessing. Some cells had "dirt" at the bottom, but nothing was capped.

Until I can find a local mentor to look in the box I can't really tell if this is a second swarm or a third cast, because I wouldn't know what I'm looking at.

I will check again in 3 days to see what they are up to, but all I know so far is that the queen is still in there somewhere, (bum up fanning on the front step to call back the clingons on the outside after I shut the lid), there are at least 2 big drones I've seen, and there were enough workers when I brushed them off the lid to fill up at least the gaps between the first 4 frames and probably a tennis balls worth hanging to the outside of the hive.

It was local honey from a market, but they will only be on sugar syrup from now on.

Thanks everyone for your help, it's nice to find a forum who don't argue all the time and I'm learning loads just rummaging about.

 

[ratcatcher]

I watched your video -I want to know how long they take to they draw out the rest of the brood box.
Would they have done more in the brood box if you've not put supers on?

how would I know,lol, I go over my woodland most weekends, but sometimes due to other commitments it maybe longer, its not on my doorstep, hence my reason to give them more room, rather than return to inspect and find they have swarmed due to cramped conditions

Ratcatcher,



it's nice to find a forum who don't argue all the time

give it time, it's early days yet

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think that is a good point. I would prefer that there was a lot more room in my BB for the queen to lay so I would not have added 2 supers so quickly.
Cazza

Plenty of room just in the BB for those bees.

Had to chuckle at 'look how hard I be man standing next to the hive in shirtsleeves' then quickly scarpering when the bees got lively

 

[ratcatcher]

Had to chuckle at 'look how hard I be man standing next to the hive in shirtsleeves' then quickly scarpering

you trying to be a ----, that's my wife

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No glasses at the time, just saw bare arm and a quick exit - that'll learn her though! almost as bad as SWMBO turning up for an inspection with high heeled sandals!