Nuc with no space to lay?

[tinker]

Hello

On 8th May I had a virgin swarm, which I've housed in a nuc box (5 frames of 14x12). The queen isn't laying yet, but it seems that every time the bees draw out some comb, they fill the space with honey (even if the cell is only halfway built).

Do I need to worry? Will they make room for her when she's ready to lay? I don't want to move them into a new hive until she's laying.

 

[oliver90owner]

I don't want to move them into a new hive until she's laying

Why? If the box is full, move them! You don't have to utilise the whole box. Get, or make a dummy or divider. So my answer is yes.

RAB

 

[thedeaddiplomat]

The experts will be along in a minute to give you more reliable advice.

But if it were me, I would bung them into a hive as soon as I could (perhaps with a dummy board at each end), with another couple of frames to draw.

 

[Busybee123]

Hello

On 8th May I had a virgin swarm, which I've housed in a nuc box (5 frames of 14x12). The queen isn't laying yet, but it seems that every time the bees draw out some comb, they fill the space with honey (even if the cell is only halfway built).

Do I need to worry? Will they make room for her when she's ready to lay? I don't want to move them into a new hive until she's laying.

If they are bringing in nectar, the space occupied by it will decrease as they process it into honey, so they should be able to free up some space for the new queen to lay in. I think raw nectar requires something like 3 x the space of ripe honey stores (someone please correct me if I have got this wrong!)

If you are feeding them syrup then maybe you should stop now. I have a couple of nucs I'm trying to build up. I fed them to try and encourage them to draw out comb, but they just stuffed every cell full of syrup. Since I stopped thay have processed the syrup and have been able to free up some space.

 

[oliver90owner]

perhaps with a dummy board at each end

Err, why? Won't the hive side wall be one side?

If you are feeding them syrup

Why feed sugar if they are collecting more than enough nectar?

RAB

 

[tinker]

I've hardly fed them at all - this is all their own work.

Why don't I want to move them? Ah, well, it's a little embarrassing, but I'm rather short of gear. I'm about to give up beekeeping, so I'm reluctant to buy more stuff if I can help it. I was hoping to unite this colony with another that I suspect of being queenless, but I need to be 100% sure of the queen status of both before I do it.

I do have a spare brood box and floor, but no crown board or roof. If I had to, I could botch together a substitute roof out of a bit of MDF and some plastic with a brick on top. But it's very windy here, and I'm reluctant to risk leaving them with an inferior hive in these conditions.

 

[Busybee123]

Why feed sugar if they are collecting more than enough nectar?

Sorry RAB, was not sure from original post if bees being fed or not. Just trying to help

If weather is anything like it is here then the bees will not be collecting nectar!

80mph storm yesterday, 10 deg C and heavy rain/hail showers today

 

[RoseCottage]

I would do the badge and put 2 stones in top!
The person you hand on to will appreciate it.
Rather space than none.

Sam

 

[tinker]

But also - apart from my roof problem - I always thought that you should avoid messing them about while the queen is settling down to lay? I was feeling slightly sheepish about even making the usual weekly checks.

 

[Finman]

Hello

On 8th May I had a virgin swarm, which I've housed in a nuc box (5 frames of 14x12). The queen isn't laying yet, but it seems that every time the bees draw out some comb, they fill the space with honey (even if the cell is only halfway built)..

That is the habit how bees draw comb. They make cell walls when they need them.
As you see, the space is half used if cells are half built.

When the queen starst to lay, bees make space for brood. They get nectar rippen and then they cap the honey. If you have a situation that you have capped honey, brood and not much open cells, then take capped frames off and let them make more combs.