First inspection.

[Jonnyl]

It's been very mild and bees flying everywhere bringing in pollen like the berlin airlift so i decided this sunny day to go for it. Frames 1(front)-11 inspected. Frames 1-3 full of honey. 4-6, nectar and pollen. 7, 8 and 9 brood but only a small amount in the centre. 10, the queen and 11 honey. Just one empty play cup in the centre of frame 5. Im thinking too much food. Took away the fondant entirely. Removed frame 2 and 11 to spare nuc and replaced with foundation. 7 frames of healthy and well behaved bees, no drones or drone eggs. What have i done wrong or is it ok. Thought extra room was the thing to do and still plenty stores. Ideas? Critiques welcome. Concerned the queen was so close to the edge that she may have been hunting for a place to lay. Thank you all.

 

[domino]

It isn't creeping above 12oC down here, so I'm keeping them tucked up.

 

[madasafish]

If you have inserted foundation in a hive, just how is it going to be drawn out when you are not feeding?

 

[Jonnyl]

If you have inserted foundation in a hive, just how is it going to be drawn out when you are not feeding?

Well its 14 degrees outside and the bees were fanning from above the frames when the hive was open and at the entrance before i opened it so maybe in the centre of the hive its warm enough? However i take your point. 1 to 1? Its certainly warm enough for them to take it. Cheers

 

[Poly Hive]

Its a blink. It was 16 here and I didn't touch them.

I certainly wouldn't be giving foundation either. What I would do is to bruise the surface of the faces of the combs next to the brood so the bees will eat that up, clean the cells and so the queen gets room to lay.

Before the naysayers start it works, and has done for many years now. By bruising combs it manages the brood box which is after all the powerhouse.

PH

 

[Jonnyl]

Its a blink. It was 16 here and I didn't touch them.

I certainly wouldn't be giving foundation either. What I would do is to bruise the surface of the faces of the combs next to the brood so the bees will eat that up, clean the cells and so the queen gets room to lay.

Before the naysayers start it works, and has done for many years now. By bruising combs it manages the brood box which is after all the powerhouse.

PH

Thats an idea. I admit i kinda panicked, well acted hastily. I did actually think of it but then thought where would they put it after i had scratched it? They're not eating what they have already. Ideally id have spare drawn comb but this is my first full season. I want them to eat the stores so they dont move it when i super later this season but im aware they dont use stores to make wax. Im in a bit of a quandary aren't i?

 

[Poly Hive]

Is it you who also posted on FB Scottish Beekeeping?

What I would do, and rather than panic do nothing walk away and take advice?

I'd move that foundation to the outside, we are talking a timber hive yes? Bruise the two faces closest to the brood and wait a week then look again.

PH

 

[thibault]

If you have inserted foundation in a hive, just how is it going to be drawn out when you are not feeding?

Yesterday I transferred a monster nucleus (full of bees never seen that at that time of the year) which is brood and half (6 super frames, 6 brood frames) in a hive, divider, queen excluder on top, I gave them 1 extra empty frame (foundationless) in the super, today I checked through the clear crown board and they have started to draw it, I don't feed. How do you explain this? (This is a genuine question)

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[madasafish]

Yesterday I transferred a monster nucleus (full of bees never seen that at that time of the year) which is brood and half (6 super frames, 6 brood frames) in a hive, divider, queen excluder on top, I gave them 1 extra empty frame (foundationless) in the super, today I checked through the clear crown board and they have started to draw it, I don't feed. How do you explain this? (This is a genuine question)

Sent from my SM-J710F using Tapatalk

Geography is the answer.

Look where you live and compare with the OP's locality. You are approx 300 miles further south...........

 

[Jonnyl]

Is it you who also posted on FB Scottish Beekeeping?

What I would do, and rather than panic do nothing walk away and take advice?

I'd move that foundation to the outside, we are talking a timber hive yes? Bruise the two faces closest to the brood and wait a week then look again.

PH

No i don't use FB. I didn't want to have to disturb them again so i took the action i thought best at the time. Yes, wooden, cedar. Its to rain tomorrow but as im off I'll wait for a break in the showers and nip out and scratch the comb as you suggest PH. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I assume the queen was farthest from you as you worked through the frames - and she was next to a frame of brood which is not unusual. Queens can tend to move away from disturbance and smoke.

"They're not eating what they have already". You've been giving them fondant until now so they wouldn't need to!


As the colony is heavy and pretty full, you need to learn hefting - have a go now and remember how it feels (or get some scales of some kind) so you can identify when hive is full.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

What I would do, and rather than panic do nothing walk away and take advice?

PH

Exactly. One of my first lessons from an experienced beekeeper was, "if you are not sure what to do, put the lid on and have a cup of tea". this gives you time to think.

 

[Jonnyl]

I assume the queen was farthest from you as you worked through the frames - and she was next to a frame of brood which is not unusual. Queens can tend to move away from disturbance and smoke.

"They're not eating what they have already". You've been giving them fondant until now so they wouldn't need to!


As the colony is heavy and pretty full, you need to learn hefting - have a go now and remember how it feels (or get some scales of some kind) so you can identify when hive is full.

The queen was near me, away from the entrance and ive never seen her that far removed before albeit ive only been keeping since July. I kept the fondant on as a belt and braces as i couldnt look in the hive to judge and id rather this predicament than dead bees. I've been hefting all winter to gain experience however the problem with that is i have no reference point from which to judge but i have been advised to get scales and i shall soon.

 

[Jonnyl]

Exactly. One of my first lessons from an experienced beekeeper was, "if you are not sure what to do, put the lid on and have a cup of tea". this gives you time to think.

Yes, i agree and i knew that. However i was thinking of opening the hive last month during the balmy period but listened to sound advice fron PH and others to hold off which i did. We are now passed the equinox and the weather was good, t-shirt stuff, bees busy, pollen piling in so i decided to go for it knowing it may not be the wisest thing to do. It went well to a point but i was still acutely aware of the timing anf therefore didnt want to have to disturb them once again so took action. My thinking was that my actions wouldnt result in disaster and although not ideal i think that is still the case. Ive now followed the advice of PH and scored the frames and fed a litre of 1 to 1. I'll leave them now till next weekend.