lay in super not brood box help

[bluejag]

Hi i am a newbie. Got a bit frightened last year but resolved this year to do better. Any way did my first complete check of my hive today. I know should have done it earlier but lost courage. Anyway I had a super above a brood box and queen excluder above the super then another super on top.
The top most super has plenty of stores pollen and honey. The super below the excluder and plenty of stores but also bee lavae. could nt see eggs this time around but was not really looking
The brrod box is completely empty other than a bit of food.
one of 2 of the cells in the brood box did have white in them this is restricted to a couple of frames but not all of them. All the bees seem to be focused on the super not the brood box

Can someone advise me what i should do and do I have a mayor problem

Could not see the queen but that is not unusual

Thanks

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not a major problem - first impressions are that the colony is a bit small (hopefull it will build up in this weather) and the queen does like to lay at the highest point she can, they should build up.
What type of hive do you have?
Do you intend to continue keeping your bees on a brood and a half? if so, let them get on with it; otherwise - let's get all the facts before we carry on further.
Did you feed fondant in the winter? that could explain the white in the stores cell.
Are you a member of a local BKA? I think you could benefit from someone more experienced having a quick look for you and help you build up your confidence.
That's enough for now, we neeed a bit more information before you can expect some detailed answers relax, and enjoy your bees

 

[Finman]

Anyway I had a super above a brood box and queen excluder above the super then another super on top.
:

Important information is, how many brood frames you have and how many frames bees cover.

First you must get the colony big and then you consider excluder.

If one super is enough to the colony, let it be so if bees do not cover all frames.

The brood box

that white is molded pollen and common thing in hives after winter.

When the colony starts to burst out from super box, put it over the brood box and let it descend down to lay.

You put into the brood box for example

2 empty combs/half empty in the middle
2 pollen frames ,then 2 food frames and
the rest foundations.

Foundation drawing prevents swarming.

When these two boxes are almost full of bees, it is time to put super and excluder.

 

[Finman]

.
Your brood frames seem old

If you have in brood box frames, where light does not come trought any more, take them off from usage.

The honey in the picture seems fermented. (moist capping).
If combs is old, discard the fermented honey too.

Present super brood box

- Look that box has space to pollen and laying
- take off extra food frames (2 is enough)
- impossible to know when the colony expands because one should know how much capped brood and how old pupae are.
Are there emerging new bees all the time.

 

[enrico]

You don't have a major problem I don't think!
I think the white you are referring to is just some mouldy pollen in the bb that they are not using. Don't worry, they will clean it out eventually. As J says you have a small amount of bees in a large hive which is why it seems so empty! Personally I would take the super off at the moment and leave the brood and a half as it is. Let them build up naturally. It has been a long slow start this year and many hives are well behind what we would expect.
I think I might give two pints of 1:1 syrup just to make sure they have enough food. There is no danger of them overfilling the brood and a half with stores so no problem there. Inspect again in two weeks time. I am more worried about your lack of courage. Some of us will know just what you are talking about, the butterflies in the stomach and the cold sweats! The best thing I can suggest is to try and get a bee mate, when you are with someone else things feel so much easier. Try talking all the time about what you are looking at, it sounds stupid but it really helps, and most of all forget the bees that are flying round your head, try and really concentrate on each frame you are looking at. Most important of all you have to feel safe so get the best bee suit you can afford and ignore scoffs about you looking like bomb disposal! If you don't feel comfortable just put the lid on and walk away. Inspect on warm sunny quiet days, gently and carefully and get yourself that bee mate.....good luck
E

 

[Cazza]

Sounds like you need a bit of help.
Do you belong to a bee group?
The one at the UEA seems to have helpful people. Plenty of beeks in Norwich.

Cazza

 

[Luminos]

I get nervous on the first inspection after winter - but once I'm in the thick of it I'm concentrating so hard I sometimes don't even notice stings...
Do you have a mentor?
Bon courage!

 

[Excession]

This may help, it has helped me do some very challenging things in the past.

When you start feeling scared, concentrate on the feeling and tell yourself that it is not fear, it is excitement. Fear is for things you don't want to do, and you want to do this, so you are not scared, you are excited!

Try it, it should help - where do I send my coaching invoice to?

 

[Skyhook]

I agree with most of the above- including Finmans point about the brood combs looking a bit dark and old. Are they all this colour, or are some newer?

While they're not using the brood box is the ideal time to change them- take out the dirtiest 5 or 6, and replace with new frames with foundation. As they start to build up they will expand back into the brood box. When they are established back there, you can make sure the queen is downstairs, then move the excluder between the BB and the super. The workers will hatch out any brood thats in there, and hey presto you're back where you want to be.


.

 

[bluejag]

Thanks for all the support everyone. Yes I do belong to a group but they do not seem to be that hot on mentoring. Basically did the course then had to go alone. It is a completely different prospect having a couple of sessions opening hive in a club and then doing it on your own for the first time. Normally I had every intention of doing regular full inspections and then bottling it half way though when the bees are all around you.

Anyway to answer a few questions.

a) was not intending to run a brood and half but would not be upset if it went that way. The reason the excluder is above the super was i heard that if you did not do that. the queen may be left behind

b) I did keep feeding sugar over winter

c) the hive is probably small because I did not feed them enough last summer. silly mistake I thought they would get enough food for themselves and realised my error too late

d) good idea re replace brood frames ill do that

Can I say thanks for all the support and advice its a great lift to me

 

[MuswellMetro]

i would also consider next year putting the super you want them to overwinter on below the brood for winter in septeber so they bring it into the brood box

Stores in a super above a QE in winter can cause the queen to get chilled and die if separated from the winter cluster

why did you overwinter with two supers? A small colony is best overwintered on just a brood box as less volume to keep warm...you have doubled the size of the brood box

 

[Luminos]

This may help, it has helped me do some very challenging things in the past.

When you start feeling scared, concentrate on the feeling and tell yourself that it is not fear, it is excitement. Fear is for things you don't want to do, and you want to do this, so you are not scared, you are excited!

Try it, it should help - where do I send my coaching invoice to?

Great idea!
Dr.Bachs' Rescue Remedy helps, too (no, it really does...) - can get it from health food stores

 

[Skyhook]

Another thing about confidence, is to trust your equipment. When I started helping my dad, many years ago, we had jackets and gloves and bits and bobs all held together with rubber bands, but not very well, and that was nerve-racking: but I now have a suit I trust, and I can have bees going bananas and I know it doesn't matter. Make sure your suit is done up (over long sleeves unless it's very thick), that it seals over your wellies, and your gloves are secure at the wrist- then you know that they can't cause you any problems.

.

 

[BeeJayBee]

It is a completely different prospect having a couple of sessions opening hive in a club and then doing it on your own for the first time. Normally I had every intention of doing regular full inspections and then bottling it half way though when the bees are all around you.

Got a bit frightened last year but resolved this year to do better.

From what you've said you have done better this year.

What was it that frightened you? Was it the number of bees in the air, or did you get badly stung?

Another thing about confidence, is to trust your equipment.

And discuss what went wrong before, so people can help make sure it doesn't happen again.

 

[karen p]

I would echo the comments above about having a decent protective clothing. On the course I did we were encouraged to wear "marigold" type gloves. I never felt that happy when bees were walking over them and a friend on the course got stung through them several times ,reacted badly and gave up. Last summer I got the thicker blue gloves with the elasticated fabric cuffs that go up to your elbow and they have made a big difference.

 

[Outlander]

Blue check your email.

 

[bluejag]

the additional super was because I wanted to make sure they had plenty of stores. the number of bees in the hive was much bigger but i think got impacted by lack of food. funny have not seen any queen caps to not sure if they swarmed or just died.

As to the lack of confidence i got stung last day of the course 8 times around the ankle. I did not know it was a practical so did not bring my wellies.

Since then i have been nervous about going in so did not do it as often as i should. But i feel more confident now

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

the additional super was because I wanted to make sure they had plenty of stores. the number of bees in the hive was much bigger but i think got impacted by lack of food. funny have not seen any queen caps to not sure if they swarmed or just died.

As to the lack of confidence i got stung last day of the course 8 times around the ankle. I did not know it was a practical so did not bring my wellies.

Since then i have been nervous about going in so did not do it as often as i should. But i feel more confident now

It is unlikely that you will get stung this badly ever again unless you are not wearing your Beekeeper gear. I have brood in the super too, am rubbish at spotting eggs and was really worried about the lack of brood on my first inspection this year. This weekend the queen was looking for somewhere to lay in the brood box(I think because its much warmer she has moved down, there was still plenty of space in the super) So I slipped in the Q X above her. Thinking that the bees will move where they are needed when they hatch. I a still have a four inch quilt and fondant on, as it has been so cold. I have now provided water on the lather large Landing/Flight board that they have. and they are collecting from my nearby bog garden.They are happily building comb storing pollen and nectar.
I started last year too.

 

[Outlander]

Sent an email to you don’t know if you received it but if not and you need some help let me know.

 

[psafloyd]

Yes I do belong to a group but they do not seem to be that hot on mentoring.

But have you asked for any help? Shy bairns get no tea.