Help for a new beekeeper...

[dexter's shed]

here's the last two swarms added to my woodland, you'll notice I don't dummy down the space, there's two weeks between the first two hives, plenty of forage for them so they should build up ok, the rose hive has been going since the beginning of may

https://youtu.be/RLP5oLM1bw4

 

[Erichalfbee]

I don't have a gap, just frames that are very slightly more spaced out than they were but I have a dummy board so will add that.

On the not feeding topic I presume that since some of the brood frames are yet to be built on I don't need to panic about swarming? I will remove the feeder at the weekend though.

Undrawn brood frames are NOT space to lay

If you have stores in the two frames adjacent to the brood nest and frames of foundation to the outside of them then move a frame of foundation next to brood nest and between a store frame. Once one side is drawn turn the frame around, but turn only one at a time, always leaving some empty cells next to the brood nest for the queen to lay in.

 

[Nick Sonic]

Undrawn brood frames are NOT space to lay

If you have stores in the two frames adjacent to the brood nest and frames of foundation to the outside of them then move a frame of foundation next to brood nest and between a store frame. Once one side is drawn turn the frame around, but turn only one at a time, always leaving some empty cells next to the brood nest for the queen to lay in.

Thanks

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I don't have a gap, just frames that are very slightly more spaced out than they were but I have a dummy board so will add that.

On the not feeding topic I presume that since some of the brood frames are yet to be built on I don't need to panic about swarming? I will remove the feeder at the weekend though.

Er - have you been taught about the importance of correct bee space in the brood? Do you have dn1 frames which require spacers clipped on the ends or dn4 with correct spacers formed on the actual frames

 

[Nick Sonic]

Do you have dn1 frames which require spacers clipped on the ends or dn4 with correct spacers formed on the actual frames

DN4. I was concerned about damaging the bees since there were significant numbers on the nuc frames. I can quite easily add the frame back in if I shouldn't have removed it in the first place.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

DN4. I was concerned about damaging the bees since there were significant numbers on the nuc frames. I can quite easily add the frame back in if I shouldn't have removed it in the first place.

The normal working brood configuration is 11 frames per standard national brood box, pressed with the dn4 shoulder spacers tight together and the dummy pressed against the 11th frame. The bees usually ignore the blind gap between the dummy board and the hive wall. If you move steadily and give the bees time to clear the shoulders as you replace frames there's no crushing.
When brand new frames and a brand new box are first assembled it's just possible to get 12 frames in but not once the bees get busy. However it's important to keep the frame shoulders tight together to ensure correct beespace.
Hope this clarifies things

 

[Nick Sonic]

Hope this clarifies things

Cheers, much appreciated.

 

[drex]

Going right back to the OP.
A good lesson.
Think think and think again before destroying any queen cell.