Bruising brood honey comb

[Nordicul]

Hi All,

I've recently inspected one smallish hive and have another later today. The brood box was packed with honey, had four frames of capped brood , larvae eggs and a Queen.

Question: Will the bees naturally break down the honey comb next to the brood nest to adequately provide the Queen with more laying space?

I've read that they are more likely to start swarming preps if "honey bound".....and to encourage brood expansion some honey frames should be removed and given drawn comb, of which I have none.

If this is the case should I, in lieu of any drawn comb, bruise some comb next to them?
Tia

I presume too that there is no need to Spring feed when they are full of stores?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Definitely no need to spring feed (very few reasons to do so in general actually).
Bruise the stores, they will consume rather than shift it around.

 

[Ian123]

I normally find them reluctant to move stores, you could just pull a couple of frames each side of the brood nest and replace with drawn comb or foundation. Those frames could be kept for a nuc or bruised and place above crown board. If they have that much stores then you obviously don’t require feeding. I do however find that a little feed in general does encourage them and often pull a few frames to create a little space and use them for nucs later

 

[madasafish]

Hi All,

I've recently inspected one smallish hive and have another later today. The brood box was packed with honey, had four frames of capped brood , larvae eggs and a Queen.

Question: Will the bees naturally break down the honey comb next to the brood nest to adequately provide the Queen with more laying space?

I've read that they are more likely to start swarming preps if "honey bound".....and to encourage brood expansion some honey frames should be removed and given drawn comb, of which I have none.

If this is the case should I, in lieu of any drawn comb, bruise some comb next to them?
Tia

I presume too that there is no need to Spring feed when they are full of stores?

And where will they move the honey to if there is no space?

 

[Poly Hive]

This has been discussed times.

They eat it.

I have been bruising brood stores for many years now and they do not move it elsewhere it is consumed, the cells cleaned and polished and then laid up. It is a simple and very effective beekeeping technique. It's also why a good hive tool has a flat end....

Left to their own devices they will ignore the stores. Bruise it so the honey weeps through and they will consume it giving the queens the space they need.


PH

 

[Nordicul]

This has been discussed times.

They eat it.

I have been bruising brood stores for many years now and they do not move it elsewhere it is consumed, the cells cleaned and polished and then laid up. It is a simple and very effective beekeeping technique. It's also why a good hive tool has a flat end....

Left to their own devices they will ignore the stores. Bruise it so the honey weeps through and they will consume it giving the queens the space they need.


PH

Thanks Poly and everyone else.

I should have done a forum search first rather than Google .

Poly I’ll take your counsel as your overwintering fondant advice helped me get them through the Winter and what you said sounds right.

I suppose to that I must keep an eye out for robbing as free honey dripping in hive would be an attractant to others?

Again thanks

 

[Codford]

Quickie - how do folks actually “bruise” their brood honey stores? Hive tool, uncapping fork or something else?

 

[Ian123]

Just run your hive tool over the top to gently break the cappings you don’t need to go digging you could use a uncapping fork if you wish no reason why not

 

[Hivemaker.]

I have been bruising brood stores for many years now and they do not move it elsewhere it is consumed

Another myth busted about bees moving winter stores up into supers in spring and contaminating the honey.

 

[Murox]

Another myth busted about bees moving winter stores up into supers in spring and contaminating the honey.

Is there a place/ thread for "busted myths"? There must be many.

 

[Jonnyl]

I followed Polys advice last week about scratching full frames after i had taken away two frames of honey and added two of foundation either side of thebrood. Went in briefly yesterday as advised and sure enough they're drawing out the new stuff quite the thing. Everythings just peachy. Thanks PH.

 

[Poly Hive]

Thanks all.

When I am working my brood boxes and bruising away I do NOT have supers on.

Actually, I am contemplating opening up for the first time this year right now as the wind has dropped and its warmish.

Now where IS that bloody hive tool?

Got 4 done and all good now re the moving of stores I suspect a certain person had his tongue in his cheek. It was proven during WW2 that stores from the BB were indeed moved to the supers. How? Beekeepers were supplied with dyed sugar, green in fact, and it evidenced its self in the unawares supers and so their honey. There was a lot of "Lime" honey sold apparently....

PH

 

[Murox]

...................... I suspect a certain person had his tongue in his cheek. It was proven during WW2 that stores from the BB were indeed moved to the supers. How? Beekeepers were supplied with dyed sugar, green in fact, and it evidenced its self in the unawares supers and so their honey. There was a lot of "Lime" honey sold apparently...........

Now thats let the cat out of the bag!

 

[Beefriendly]

Is there a place/ thread for "busted myths"? There must be many.

Aye, but the "myths" will just get repeated again.....and again......and again.
Some never learn.

 

[Beefriendly]

Beekeepers were supplied with dyed sugar, green

Hence "green" tea.....now not many know that.

errr perhaps getting my coat is in order....been a long day ...