Colony split and supers added

[jimbeekeeper]

Today on inspection, a number of queen cells where spotted, as was planned for development and expansion of this hive.

The hive had been allowed to spread to the whole volume of the beehaus, amounting to 22 frames, and then restricted by not adding suppers, thus aiding the swarming instinct.

3 good queen cells where selected simply on size and location on the frame, allowing for the creating of 2 x 5 frame nucs and 1 larger 10 frame nuc.

The main hive was restocked with a mix of both new, part drawn and a couple of fully draw frames.

2 half supers where also added above this brood section, now confined to half of the beehaus.

I now plan to maintain the hive to half the beehaus, adding suppers as required, and if the hive dictates and an artificial swarm is required, the second half of the hive will be utilised therefore progressing to a 2 queen hive as an experiment.

The honey tap was also added to the base of the hive for removal of the honey in a couple of weeks time.


All of my other national hives are now on double brood with 2 supers on each.

 

[Onge]

The honey tap was also added to the base of the hive for removal of the honey in a couple of weeks time.

Haha

 

[Polyanwood]

The honey tap?? What is that? do the bees not make honey in sealed cells that are sealed at the top/capped?? how can this work?

 

[victor meldrew]

John Wilkinson

 

[Essexgary]

Today on inspection, a number of queen cells where spotted, as was planned for development and expansion of this hive.

The hive had been allowed to spread to the whole volume of the beehaus, amounting to 22 frames, and then restricted by not adding suppers, thus aiding the swarming instinct.

3 good queen cells where selected simply on size and location on the frame, allowing for the creating of 2 x 5 frame nucs and 1 larger 10 frame nuc.

The main hive was restocked with a mix of both new, part drawn and a couple of fully draw frames.

2 half supers where also added above this brood section, now confined to half of the beehaus.

I now plan to maintain the hive to half the beehaus, adding suppers as required, and if the hive dictates and an artificial swarm is required, the second half of the hive will be utilised therefore progressing to a 2 queen hive as an experiment.

The honey tap was also added to the base of the hive for removal of the honey in a couple of weeks time.


All of my other national hives are now on double brood with 2 supers on each.

Hi Jim - couple of basic questions if that's ok - you say that the beehaus is at full capacity - with 22 frames.. but then say it's now down to half capacity - did you put the nuc's into another hive? So the second half of the beehaus is now empty - and you're planning on experimenting with 2 colonies in one beehause, right? lastly, if you selected 3 QC's - did you just remove the rest?

Honey tap...hmmm

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Honey tap...hmmm

Hi Gary

Yes, the hive was allowed to expand to the full width of the beehaus, i.e just one queen and one entrance in use.

It is not down to its half capacity i.e 11 frames, with divider in. The rest of the frames where used to make up new hives separate from the beehaus.

As stated 3 queen cells where selected simply looking for the best size, shape and location on the frames, TBH there where only a couple extra ones which where sort of joined together, so they are simply destroyed.


Now that there is space in the second half of the hive, a the 4 honey jars that came with the Beehaus will be left in that section to allow the bees to fill them with honey, any excess will be drained of via the honey tap
.

 

[Essexgary]

Now that there is space in the second half of the hive, a the 4 honey jars that came with the Beehaus will be left in that section to allow the bees to fill them with honey, any excess will be drained of via the honey tap


I'm going to call Omlet - they told me that I would be able to get 8 jars in the unused part of the Beehaus.

 

[Polyanwood]

the 4 honey jars that came with the Beehaus will be left in that section to allow the bees to fill them with honey, any excess will be drained of via the honey tap
.

I just don't understand this. I want to keep your kind of bees. Forget about bees putting it in combs and having to extract - I want bees that put it straight into the jars! Please explain how they put the honey straight into jars in the beehaus and how the honey tap works.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

 

[wilderness]

so do the bees add that extra bit of protein?

 

[jimbeekeeper]

No becuase when they have finished inside tha jars, they next progress onto label atachment duties