Hi guys a little help please

[woodyapex]

Im brand new to bees really but a very fast learner and for years thought about keeping bees !
Thursday a swarm of bees swarmed on a branch in my pond area on the farm / barn conversions i live in .
I promptly made a phone call to a friend i remember mentioning used to keep bees .
In the next hour or two while he was on his way with a few bits he's still left , i did some research and knocked a hive up !!!
I know i know , some of you maybe thinking god help us maybe , but it fits national frames (although ive only 5 frames in so far ) and the bees have took to it nicely .
They are really well behaved bees !
now i do have a slight problem but maybe its not .
I'm learning every day at the min ! now the box i've made is classed as the brood box , ready to put a queen seperator on , i think ?
the problem is as i'd not got exact dimensions theres a 4" 100 mm gap under the bottom of the frames .

Q1 Does this matter ??
Q2 Cos i rushed the hive , i could have done a better job although its adequate is it possible to swap the hive now for a better one ?
Q3 Is anyone on here at Barnsley bee keepers association
Q4 When they all wiggle fast ( together ) are they mad ? lol
for now thats about it .
any help appreciated please
Thanks woody

 

[rae]

The only problem with the gap at the bottom is that they will build additional comb off the frames and fill quite a bit of the gap. If they are good, then they will build it nice and straight....if they are bad, then they will join the frames together and all hell will break loose when you lift frames out.

You need a queen excluder if you put a super on. If you only have 5 frames in there, fill the box with frames first. Swarms love to build comb, so put the frames in quickly or they will fill the whole space with brace comb.

Yes you can swap the hive. Get a new brood box and floor. Lift the existing hive off the stand, and replace with the new (empty ones). Swap the frames over carefully, making sure you don't drop the queen. There will be a load of bees remaining in the box - lean the old box on the new entrance so the bees can just walk up.

Before you do anything, make sure whatever you've built is compatible with "standard" dimensions of whatever hive you decided to go with. Halfway though a manipulation is not the time to find this out.

They're mad when they're pinging off your veil and stinging your gloves.

 

[woodyapex]

thanks for that rae ! so what does it mean when they all set off wiggleing at the same time in a buzz lol they did it when i was trying to blow a couple off the top of the sides .
oh yes and comb built on frames already they are fast .
but just out of a matter of intreast why do i have to remove the frames in the bottom box again ?? maintanence ?
cheers

 

[susbees]

Because you need to check the hive periodically for a viable queen/brood, signs of disease etc. Get yourself on a beginner's course at a local/next most local BKA.....lots to learn and now's the time. Good luck.

Also a swarm are usually well behaved as they are pigged out on honey which lasts them three days or so. That doesn't mean they'll stay that way so make sure you have sensible protective gear. Stings on the face are at the least unpleasant and at worst can be dangerous.

 

[woodyapex]

ok susbees point taken i've all the protective gear , i'll start wearing it !
cheers

 

[MuswellMetro]

look at the DIY section on here for dimensions, all nationals are 460mmx460mm external , frames and box depth vary depending on use of box , "shallow or honey supers /frames SN, deep (brood) frames DN, extra Deep (Brood) frames 14x12

if stuck for frames a wooden bar placed 35mm centre to centre and the underneath rubbed in beeswax will aid them building wild comb

normal hive have about 28mm under the frames, 200mm is large but the bees wont mind for now

 

[Midland Beek]

Er ... the bees will not be on the frames like you think they will.

 

[Midland Beek]

And do you know that frames need foundation?

Would you let me service your car if I didn't know how to open the bonnet?

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Woody - get yourself on a beginners course asap. Otherwise you'll continually be on the back foot with the bees.
Get a good book too - quite a few good recommendations on the forum.

The bees will do that wiggly thing if you breathe on them - they don't like it. But it can be handy for clearing the bees off a particular spot on the frame if you need to.

 

[drstitson]

if the "hive" really fits national frames perfectly but with 100mm gap at bottom it sounds like the box will ultimately take standard 14x12 frames (which need an extra 3.5" clearance).

welcome to beekeeping.

check out the dave cushman site for frame dimensions and get some new side bars made pronto.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think a visit to Dave Cushman's site would be handy for plans to build beehives (amongst other things) My friend who has no experience at all of beekeeping knocked up a decent National hive in no time.
sorry,I may be a bit daft here can't seem to attach a link to the site