Hmmm.

[Machonachos]

So just inspected and a few questions.

Hive 1
bb and super. They are drawing out the super but the bb hasn’t got much room to lay. There is a lot of sealed brood so obviously that will clear some space when that emerges. It also is showing some intent to swarm. A handful of empty play cups and one cup with a larva and jelly.

The Queen is present so I clipped her in case I mess up and she tries to off. I also had no choice but to knock out all the cups inc the one with larva to buy me some time. (Parcelforce let me down on delivery last week.)

What’s the best course of action here? Brood and a half?


Hive 2
9 frames of brood maybe 2 undrawn frames in a bb. Should I super up or go brood and a half?

Also tried to clip the Queen and after a couple of minutes of trying they went ballistic so closed them up and walked away.

No sign of QC or intent to swarm.

Super or bb + 1/2 ?



Cheers

Andy

 

[enrico]

Hive 1. Brood and a half or double brood
Hive 2. Brood and a half or double brood AND a super
Put all new brood box's under existing one
E

 

[Machonachos]

Hive 1. Brood and a half or double brood
Hive 2. Brood and a half or double brood AND a super
Put all new brood box's under existing one
E

Would you move the partially drawn super down and add a new foundation super for honey?

If I put a shallow bb under the current deep will they have to remain in that order or should the deep be put back on the bottom at any point?

Side note: why do you put the new bb underneath?


Cheers

Andy

 

[Poly Hive]

Hive one had a live queen cell so that says they need AS... ASAP.

Hive two needs a 2nd brood box underneath and a super on top.

Please do not give brood and a half a thought, it's just messy.

The above is what I would do. Today.

PH

 

[enrico]

I am saying what I would do
I would leave the partially drawn super where it is. They need room to store food otherwise it will go in brood boxes.
I always have my shallow under the brood box anyway and rarely inspect it as swarm cells tend to be between the two brood boxes. If you want to go back to a single then remove it in the spring when they will be in the top brood box and the bottom one will be empty. My advice is to go double brood as it makes splitting and swapping frames so much easier.
I put the new brood boxes underneath because then if they NEED the space they will use it but if they don't it will remain barely used and easily removable. If you put it above the existing one they may just fill it with food and you have not improved the laying room situation.
E

 

[Poly Hive]

What about the swarm prep though?

PH

 

[Anduril]

Hive one had a live queen cell so that says they need AS... ASAP.

Hive two needs a 2nd brood box underneath and a super on top.

Please do not give brood and a half a thought, it's just messy.

The above is what I would do. Today.

PH

Brood box with drawn comb or foundation below, because bees build downwards.

 

[Machonachos]

Brood box with drawn comb or foundation below, because bees build downwards.

Ok great. That sounds like a plan.
I am best placed to add shallow national boxes below the main bb so I will do this ASAP and then add a honey super to the hive 2 in the next day or two.

After doing that I highly expect hive 1 to build QCs again so when that is the case I will go ahead and AS that box. Or have others had experience of adding a brood box sorting things out? The reason I ask is that I haven’t see. Full extended QCs and only the one cup with larva.


Cheers

Andy

 

[enrico]

You might be lucky but,........
E

 

[Poly Hive]

But what?

Oh and trusting to seeing swarm cells at the junction of two brood boxes is in my experience dodgy to say the least. I have found not a cell on the edges but 20 odd sitting in the middle of brood frames.

Now this may be my strain of bee but .....

PH

 

[badger65]

Ok great. That sounds like a plan.
I am best placed to add shallow national boxes below the main bb so I will do this ASAP and then add a honey super to the hive 2 in the next day or two.

After doing that I highly expect hive 1 to build QCs again so when that is the case I will go ahead and AS that box. Or have others had experience of adding a brood box sorting things out? The reason I ask is that I haven’t see. Full extended QCs and only the one cup with larva.


Cheers

Andy

I wouldnt wait for more QC. AS as soon as you can. If you have a small setup using snelgrove method 1 or 2 is good.

 

[Anduril]

Now that they have the swarming urge hive 1 needs an AS tomorrow, check if they have eggs or very small larvae.

 

[enrico]

But what?

Oh and trusting to seeing swarm cells at the junction of two brood boxes is in my experience dodgy to say the least. I have found not a cell on the edges but 20 odd sitting in the middle of brood frames.

Now this may be my strain of bee but .....

PH

But ...... I wouldn't risk it ......was the insinuation.
With regard to the cells, I was suggesting that queen cells in a lower half brood are rare in my hives as they are usually in the top box. They seem to like the gap inbetween the boxes if on brood and a half with the half at the bottom.
I will try and be more specific in future
E