Confession and advice

[Roola]

Ok, please don't chastise me for what I'm about to confess, I feel really bad. At the end of my inspection today while closing up, I tried sliding the supernova top of QE and ended up crushing a load of bees, I had smoked first but loads spilled in, as I slid super across (I did it at an angle as I'd been shown) but it really didn't seem to help! I feel awful and want to get better at this, I'm sure it's practice but I don't want to kill any more, I really love my bees. Please can you offer any advice on technique or how to do this better... I've turned to the wine this evening!!

On the positive they have worked really hard this week and drawn out 7 super frames and began filling all of them.

Thankyou.
Guilty Roola

 

[John M]

It does get easier with practice. I get ridiculously protective of my bees and I am sure I am not the only one who knows how you feel. No need to feel guilty

 

[enrico]

Not sure what you mean by angle....put the super on so that the corners are over the flat sides of the bb, then gently swivel it through 45 degrees to get it all straight. If that is what you did you shouldn't crush too many! The other thing to do is just before you do the final swivel give a squirt of fabi spray, the bees will disappear very rapidly! Some killing happens I am afraid, just make sure it is not HM!

 

[Roola]

Not sure what you mean by angle....put the super on so that the corners are over the flat sides of the bb, then gently swivel it through 45 degrees to get it all straight. If that is what you did you shouldn't crush too many! The other thing to do is just before you do the final swivel give a squirt of fabi spray, the bees will disappear very rapidly! Some killing happens I am afraid, just make sure it is not HM!

Thanks enrico, yes I put it at an angle, I just think I suck at the sliding, the super being heavy moved the QE... I'll keep trying!!

What is fabi spray enrico pls? Also thankyou John for your encouraging words.

 

[MuswellMetro]

you could use a wedge (plastic sash window or wedge door stops) and slowly remove to lower the super

 

[barratt_sab]

What is fabi spray enrico pls?

It's like instant smoke in a spray-can:

http://www.bees-online.co.uk/view.asp?ID=1149

(I'm nothing to do with this supplier, and you can get it other places too)

 

[Tom Bick]

Are your bees a bit cramped on space? Sometimes when the BB gets very congested the bees can spill out over the frames and make assembly of the boxes difficult.

Also the time of day and weather conditions, although perhaps the latter not so in this instance but to early or a bit to late and more bees home and in particular the flying bees who can be a bit grumpy with nothing to do.

I inspected a hive last week a perfectly happy hive but when I placed the queen excluder on the hive in the same manner as you for some reason the bees took a dislike to this and took off in mass. I had to sit for a few mins as they settled down. They were happy again this week so it must have been something I said, something that happens to us boys from time to time.

Keep going they have a queen but experience is the king in beekeeping.

 

[Roola]

Are your bees a bit cramped on space? Sometimes when the BB gets very congested the bees can spill out over the frames and make assembly of the boxes difficult.

Also the time of day and weather conditions, although perhaps the latter not so in this instance but to early or a bit to late and more bees home and in particular the flying bees who can be a bit grumpy with nothing to do.

I inspected a hive last week a perfectly happy hive but when I placed the queen excluder on the hive in the same manner as you for some reason the bees took a dislike to this and took off in mass. I had to sit for a few mins as they settled down. They were happy again this week so it must have been something I said, something that happens to us boys from time to time.

Keep going they have a queen but experience is the king in beekeeping.

I dont think they are short of space really, there is BIAS across 9 and a bit frames with the two end frames of full stores (will the queen eventually lay here, is this where people do 'bruising'? how do you bruise comb? There may have been a few more flying bees home as weather been a bit damp today but felt weekend was looking bad for weather so had to do it...

I have one super now with all frames drawn and honey filling all (some capped) so have put on another super although they have not begun drawing this yet. I did try to smoke them off the edges today before sliding but as soon as i had picked up super they were back... I cant't believe how guilty I feel yet on the other hand its nice to realize how much I care about them!

Completely understand your point on experience, just grateful to have this forum to share my feelings and get brilliant advice, so thankyou...

 

[psafloyd]

Not sure what you mean by angle....put the super on so that the corners are over the flat sides of the bb, then gently swivel it through 45 degrees to get it all straight. If that is what you did you shouldn't crush too many! The other thing to do is just before you do the final swivel give a squirt of fabi spray, the bees will disappear very rapidly! Some killing happens I am afraid, just make sure it is not HM!

How you put down a super and squirt fabi, I don't know, Enrico. Are you really Zaphod Beeblebrox?

 

[psafloyd]

On a serious note, you will squash bees, unless you are a superhero without human frailties and muscle fatigue. Worry about doing it, try hard not to, but don't lose sleep over it.

 

[BeeJayBee]

When I replace the super I lower it quite slowly and sort of wiggle it around, so there's something moving over their heads. It seems to make them go down into the brood box.

Is your hive at the right height for you? It might be worth adjusting your hive stand, if you can. If your super is too heavy to move easily, then take a couple of frames out before you move it, and put them inside the lid. You can put them back at the end of the inspection.

We all do things slightly differently, you'll soon work out the best way for you.

P.S. Do you use a BS National, 14x12 or Langstroth hive? Could be handy to add the info to your profile

 

[Tom Bick]

I dont think they are short of space really, there is BIAS across 9 and a bit frames with the two end frames of full stores (will the queen eventually lay here, is this where people do 'bruising'? how do you bruise comb? There may have been a few more flying bees home as weather been a bit damp today but felt weekend was looking bad for weather so had to do it...

I have one super now with all frames drawn and honey filling all (some capped) so have put on another super although they have not begun drawing this yet. I did try to smoke them off the edges today before sliding but as soon as i had picked up super they were back... I cant't believe how guilty I feel yet on the other hand its nice to realize how much I care about them!

Completely understand your point on experience, just grateful to have this forum to share my feelings and get brilliant advice, so thankyou...

I don’t know what hive you are on but if National 9 frames of brood is tight on space. The extra super will help with space, When did you put it on the hive?

You can try scoring the outer frames with the hive tool to see if the bees move the honey but with little room to move it to I wonder if this will work. You can always remove one of the frames of stores from the BB and replace with empty frames or even both to give the bees something to do. The frames of honey can always be given back at a later date.

 

[pargyle]

slowly slowly slowly is the answer - if you give them time they will usually move out of the way but it's a bit like herding sheep, they don't always go in the direction you want. They do get squished even when you go at a snails pace - you have to live with that and try not to beat yourself up about it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Put one side down (that's fairly easy to do whilst ensuring the bees get out of the way then lower the oppisite end down and for the last half inch wiggle it up and downa bot - they tend to get the message (although you will feel the odd crunch.
I always tell my beginners 'if you think you are going to get distressed every time you kill a bee - then you'ver chosen the wrong pastime' - you have to be practical/pragmatic

 

[nonstandard]

I find that a spray of water seems to keep them down longer than smoke; unless it's really hot then they stay on top of the frames drinking up the droplets

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have an assistant.
He places a teatowel on top of the frames and whisks it off as I put the super back

 

[Beauhawk]

I have an assistant.
He places a teatowel on top of the frames and whisks it off as I put the super back

I wondered what Paul Daniels is doing now!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Shock horror.....you've rumbled my true identity!!!!

 

[Roola]

Haha

 

[Roola]

So would you suggest I go back and take out the two frames of stores and give them fresh frames to draw out and allow laying space? The super has been on 2 weeks and is completely drawn out now and filling with honey, some is capped, there were bees on 3/4 of the frames last inspection so I'd added a second super for this week although this hasn't been touched yet, they are just using it to sit and do nothing and chill.