moving stores in brood box ?

[mutley]

Hi all , In the opinion of someone more experienced than myself (2nd year)
do you think that it could be ok to move full frames of stores in the brood box from the outside to the centre as there maybe empty cells in the centre and the queens not really laying much now. thanks for your consideration on this.

 

[Into the lions den]

The open area in the lower part (normally) of the centre frames is just part of the bees naturally formatting themselves the way they want for winter, and for starting to tick over a little brood rearing, normally immediately after the solstice.

If the stores are the way they placed them, and you did not stick a couple of empty frames in the middle that they then could not fill, then just leave well alone. unless it is very cold they will move stores in themsleves as they need to.

In addition, every time you go into the nest you have a risk of doing harm. Harm to the queen done now is most likely a death sentence to the colony. There is nothing much to gain from very late season tampering in the nest and a lot to lose.

In earlier threads I have talked of late season brood comb replacement, but that is long since finished (last doen about 3 weeks back) and now until April we would never tamper in the main nest area.

 

[mutley]

Thank you for your excellent response, very informative. I could have done with a bit of brood comb repacement in my first hive, I shall get around to it in the spring after some reserch on it. thanks.

 

[Midland Beek]

You have at times got to leave bees to it and hope they know what they are doing. Re-arranging the frames at the very end of the season like this could be a spanner in the works, so to speak.

Mouseguard time.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I haven't inspected my colonies for some weeks.
Mouse guards on about now and a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the hive.

Unlike keeping cattle where you're wading around in mud and sh*t in the cold of January and February freezing our bits off, we are sensible folk and can leave our creatures alone, stay indoors or go to the pub for a swift half. And apart from Oxalic Acid, leave alone 'till the sun shines again in April.

 

[For want of a better word]

And apart from Oxalic Acid, leave alone 'till the sun shines again in April.....

.... not tried that for a sheep dip !

to be or not to be.....and then there is assisted suicide

 

[Midland Beek]

.... not tried that for a sheep dip !

I believe sheep dip soaked into strips of balsa wood was an early DIY varroa treatment. Do not try that at home folks ... unless you want cancer or to light up the lights like a Christmas tree on the residues testing machine.

 

[For want of a better word]

I believe sheep dip soaked into strips of balsa wood was an early DIY varroa treatment. Do not try that at home folks ... unless you want cancer or to light up the lights like a Christmas tree on the residues testing machine.

"Ortho Phosphate"..... bloody good cure for ringworm tho!!!!