Ivy Mustard stores

[Finman]

No I have a standard Nation BB, explained in the opening thread. Shallow under BB with at least 4 frames full of crystalized honey and the BB has 4 complete BB frames full. I have not fed this colony at all seems to be a bit too full of stores for the upcoming Rape flow.

Mike

I must repeat:

** First problem is that half of hive is filled with food. Colony has no space to build up. It will swarm very early.

** The colony cannot be very strong because it had no space to build up normally. Wintering bees die and new bees emerge, ... but no space to grow.

** Rape will fill the hive in couple of days and then swarm leaves. You will find only eggs in queen cups.

** It is not able to forage rape yield.


FIRST: take Super off, that bees do not lift honey from downstairs to fill brood combs

Second: wash two brood frames in warm water that the colony gets space to lay. You loose 4 kg sugar

ORRRRR give two Foundation frames into BB and you see, are they able to draw combs.

THIRD: what do you do with crystallized Super honey? Colony needs free combs, and they will fill the combs rape nectar on crystalls, and new honey will soon crystallize into frames.

I do not know, in what phase the colony is. Is it able to draw new combs. Wax making bees are 3 weeks old and their brood stage is 3 weeks. Alltogether 5 weeks old from beginning of brooding. If you have such bees enough, no proplems.
But rape may give nectar like a zunami and what happens them.

FOURTH: let the colony grow big and give them much to draw new combs that you are not in trouple next year.

To get a big colony you must give them NOW all the time space to lay. And no excluder.

Do not keep mesh floor open.

.

 

[Finman]

Ha ha, if put it above the brood when a flow is on they will simply add to it!

Only one place, then, for them to move it 'up'. And it is not in the brood box.

RAB

Very funny. To add new honey into crystallized honey cells, and the Super is half full allready. That is best what you can do to spoil you colony.

Advice how to get the whole box crystallized honey instead of half.

SAVE YOUR COLONY, NOT OLD HONEY .. Which one is more important?

Try first Foundation trick.

.

 

[MikeT]

I am totally confused.

This is what I propose to do:-

washout the honey in the super.

I will remove 2 full frames from the BB and replace
with drawn out frames.

Either store for later use the 2 frames or give to other hives
if they have little stores left.

When flow begins, if the other 2 complete frames have not been
consumed, I will remove and store for later use.

Mike

PS I can now see why I am confused some of the posts have been removed.

 

[Finman]

.
Finally you mention other hives and you have drawn out frames.....

 

[jonnybeegood]

I am totally confused.

This is what I propose to do:-

""washout the honey in the super.""

How come when i suggested this & oliver said it was a stupid thing to do you said -
Thanks RAB I have no intention of washing valuable supplies down the drain.

I'm not having a go but ??

 

[Finman]

How come when i suggested this & oliver said it was a stupid thing to do you said -
Thanks RAB I have no intention of washing valuable supplies down the drain.

??

If washing is only alternative to give more room for laying in spring.

I do not wash combs because I have 5 extracted boxes to each hive in spring. I am not in a hurry to give foundations because bees do not drawn them before apple tree blooming.

Mike T is not a beginner but rape is a bad trap to beginners because it fills small hives in on week. Then hive swarms.

 

[jonnybeegood]

Finman, if i go into my nucs today & they are very crowded would i be able to remove a frame or two & replace with foundation & feed sugar syrup? Would they not draw them out?

 

[Finman]

Finman, if i go into my nucs today & they are very crowded would i be able to remove a frame or two & replace with foundation & feed sugar syrup? Would they not draw them out?

If they are crowded, give them new space to expand. That is only way to continue. Put the hive into a bigger box or give same kind of nuc and put it under the nuc brood box.

In nature colony draw new combs when it expands, even in spring. Nobody is washing its combs or giving new frames.

To take food frame off and to feed sugar.... That is crazy.

If bees do not extract new wax, they are able to move old wax from other places and make combs. Then new combs are light brown.

Sometimes it has been writings that bees have teared down new foundation.

I have no idea, what is happening in your nucs or hives.

.

 

[jonnybeegood]

If they are crowded, give them new space to expand. That is only way to continue. Put the hive into a bigger box or give same kind of nuc and put it under the nuc brood box.

In nature colony draw new combs when it expands, even in spring. Nobody is washing its combs or giving new frames.

To take food frame off and to feed sugar.... That is crazy.

No i wasnt going to remove frames with food, i was thinking if there was an empty frame. Im not sure if there is much stored food as they have been eating findant. I dont want to move them to a bigger box yet as i think its a bit early & not warm enough yet.

 

[Finman]

[

No i wasnt going to remove frames with food, i was thinking if there was an empty frame. Im not sure if there is much stored food as they have been eating findant. I dont want to move them to a bigger box yet as i think its a bit early & not warm enough yet.

Sounds British intellectual poking...