Have i done this wrong ?

[fullframe45]

I have a paynes poly nuc converted to 8 frames and had a super on all summer with all new foundation but they never touched it at all. Last week i removed the super and that just left the brood box with 8 frames .Did a inspection yesterday and the brood box looked full except for one frame of new foundation not touched. They had about 3 frames of honey full and a couple of frames of brood with lava mixed and nectar. Four of the frames are quite old and dark and what the bees came with when i got them I still have the entrance reduced and they were flying in and out and looking busy. Some had the white traces on them that i took to be pollen ,but very little showing on their baskets. I have fed a couple of times but not sure if i should keep feeding syrup and if i should put a super back on to give them room and put a few dummy boards in to reduce.It is still quite mild here but early mornings have that autumn feel about.This is my first year and first nuc. Thanks.

 

[Anasrzi]

Think I'd avoid adding further frames or supers right now, feeding with syrup is the way I'd go but as a beginner myself I'd hold off doing much until more experienced guys give there input.

 

[Erichalfbee]

When did you get the nuc?
How many frames were there when you got it ?
When did you put the super on ?
Those two frames of brood, has there been more? Has the queen laid well over summer?
Have you started varroa treatment?
Ps. White dots on the thorax tell you the bees are foraging on Himalayan Balsam

 

[pargyle]

When did you get the nuc?
How many frames were there when you got it ?
When did you put the super on ?
Those two frames of brood, has there been more? Has the queen laid well over summer?
Have you started varroa treatment?
Ps. White dots on the thorax tell you the bees are foraging on Himalayan Balsam

All questions that need answers - Plus ...

If they came on four frames of 'old' drawn comb have they only drawn three frames of foundation out since you had them ?

That's not very much for a new colony .. more so if you have been feeding them constantly

Is is a standard national Nuc or a 14 x 12 ?

Putting a full super of foundation (even when it's only 8 frames) is a big ask if they were not up to full colony strength to start with.

Or is this the Nuc that you noted on 26th July that you expected the queen to be going off on a mating flight ?

Looking back over your previous posts your first year has been a bit chaotic .. that's not a criticism .. first years (and with, it would seem, a lack of a proper beekeeping course and a decent mentor) are hard. You've suffered with a mixture of different hive boxes and a supercedure (which might have been a swarm ?) and had to move your bees to a new location.

Perhaps if you could give us a proper breakdown of what colonies you have, what their current state is in terms of size (frames of brood, seams of bees) and what sze boxes/super combinations you have in place - what honey have they got stored and where is is (brood frames or super frames).

Start with Colony A and Colony B.

So.. with that information and the answers to Dani's questions above perhaps we can sort you out some sort of plan for ALL your bees to get them through winter because, without being too unkind - it looks to me as though you are on a crash course to not getting them through winter the way you are set up at present.

 

[Curly green finger's]

All questions that need answers - Plus ...

If they came on four frames of 'old' drawn comb have they only drawn three frames of foundation out since you had them ?

That's not very much for a new colony .. more so if you have been feeding them constantly

Is is a standard national Nuc or a 14 x 12 ?

Putting a full super of foundation (even when it's only 8 frames) is a big ask if they were not up to full colony strength to start with.

Or is this the Nuc that you noted on 26th July that you expected the queen to be going off on a mating flight ?

Looking back over your previous posts your first year has been a bit chaotic .. that's not a criticism .. first years (and with, it would seem, a lack of a proper beekeeping course and a decent mentor) are hard. You've suffered with a mixture of different hive boxes and a supercedure (which might have been a swarm ?) and had to move your bees to a new location.

Perhaps if you could give us a proper breakdown of what colonies you have, what their current state is in terms of size (frames of brood, seams of bees) and what sze boxes/super combinations you have in place - what honey have they got stored and where is is (brood frames or super frames).

Start with Colony A and Colony B.

So.. with that information and the answers to Dani's questions above perhaps we can sort you out some sort of plan for ALL your bees to get them through winter because, without being too unkind - it looks to me as though you are on a crash course to not getting them through winter the way you are set up at present.

Good call .
@ fullframe45 are you a member of an association and do you have a mentor ?.
Mentor's are very valuable in the first year , even if it's a friend beekeeper.
It sounds like you've had a bit of a rollercoaster first season I feel for you.

 

[Erichalfbee]

All questions that need answers - Plus ...

Sometimes it’s like drawing teeth

 

[fullframe45]

pm sent

 

[Erichalfbee]

pm sent

I’m putting your pm up here because more heads are better than one

I am in my first year(yes) and i have had quite a few pitfalls in my first year. I have one hive and a nuc and yes Pargyle you are correct this is the same set up that i asked about in past .Hive is maismore and brood and a half and are looking well (in my eyes)they had 6 and half frames of honey and are working on another two frames .In brood /bottom box they have three frames of capped brood with good covering and not patchy and i saw quite a lot of lava at various stage .Did not see eggs.But no honey to take off but i expected that first year as they never started to draw out the shallows in the super i put on.
The nuc is paynes poly and converted to eight frames and got it second week in july four frames and superceedure cells on standard national frames.The week after i found two capped q/cells .Six days later q/cells gone dont know if they tore them down or emerged and destroyed.I then had to look for another site for the apiary but they looked ok calm.Checked eight days later and saw eggs so q been laying.I then had to move to another site(no choice)Checked again and saw more eggs.A week later i put super on and fed em making it a sort of double brood and reduced entrance for wasps.Left them for about a week and fed them saw quite a lot of lava on two frames and good cover of capped brood and put one new foundation frame in bottom box.About a weel later they were starting to darw out a couple of frames in top box very small area and bottom box looking full. Having fed a couple of times i did not want to feed again so give em room to lay. One week later still not touched top frames but saw lave and she had about a frame and half to lay in but old combe that came with the nuc.and saw a small patch of drone cells .A week later still trying to draw out in top box but very small area .capped brood in bottom box and some lava.Weather has been really wet all through this .Almost up to date i removed the top box as they were not doing going to do anything at all with it so now down to one single brood box.Looking full and about two and half frames of honey some capped brood and lava but not a lot and still one frame of untouched foundation left. I was going to treat this week for varroa (vape) I have only fed them three times didnt want to use up laying space.I am in a bee club and we have weekly meetings hosted by a very experienced beekeeper two in fact .But distance plays a part and there is no one close to where i live.
***************

 

[enrico]

My advice. They still have room or they would not have a foundation frame. She is laying as you have larvae.
Two choices. Add the super back on and feed so that they draw it out and use it, or leave it as it is and let them get on with it.
What I would do? The forma of the two choices!
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

A handful of eggs doesn't warrant a super, I think these bees have struggled due to too much space

 

[enrico]

A handful of eggs doesn't warrant a super, I think these bees have struggled due to too much space

fair comment
E

 

[birdsandbees]

A handful of eggs doesn't warrant a super, I think these bees have struggled due to too much space

That was exactly what I was thinking, you need the right environment for them to propagate brood and sufficient numbers, if there aren't that many and the space is vast then they will struggle to maintain the brood nest temperature, better to wait until they are fully occupying the brood area before adding space.