replacing old frames

[paulgid]

what is the best way to replace old black frames?

 

[VEG]

work them to the sides of the brood box then replace

 

[paulgid]

thanks craig

 

[Queens59]

Unless like mine the only store are on the black frames, as they have eaten the nice fresh ones...

 

[Finman]

Bees store valuable pollen to frames if you out them on side.

I did that mistake and one year my all combs were old.

Put the frames in the middle of brood area. Queen lays them full of larvae.
when frames are capped, lift them over the excluder.


Move allways old combs towards centre and then exit.

 

[hedgerow pete]

my lot have not read finman's bees book as they always leave the lasr frame at each end empty untill time for winter storage.

i just insert a fresh frame into the middle of the brood box and leave it there untill its built out and being used

but finmam might have a good point there with in and then up

 

[Finman]

m

i just insert a fresh frame into the middle of the brood box and leave it there untill its built out and being used
p

If the hive is big and summer is warm, you do that.

But if it is spring like now, never split the brood area with foundation. Even in a big hive the queen is not eager to lay in fresh comb.

Yes, i know, I have done it many times but nothing good to say about it.

And in summary, dont ever try to enlarge the brood area. Bees do it themselves. They cannot stand "human encouragement".

 

[Finman]

Unless like mine the only store are on the black frames, as they have eaten the nice fresh ones...

That is USA style.When you look their comb pictures, they really have black combs and frames.

Another place is East Europe where I may see black combs.

In UK folks seems to separate super and brood combs. I recycle all.

 

[oliver90owner]

Finman,

Great idea if the boxes are the same size. Not so clever if the next box above the brood is a shallow super.

RAB

 

[Rosti]

Irrespective of box sizes both scenarios suggested will still sacrifice hard one stores and/or add complexity if moving up to protect heavily invested late stage brood. Surely better to wait until your target frame is primarily freshly laid up and remove at that point. Eggs and larvae are easily and quickly replaced. Yes you'll loose something at some point but that goes for the other options as well. We often 'donate' a frame to another hive, where's the difference? If the colony isn't strong enough to tollerate the loss then simply wait until it is.

 

[Finman]

Finman,

Great idea if the boxes are the same size. Not so clever if the next box above the brood is a shallow super.

RAB

so, you have only 2 boxes in the hive, brood box and a super?

That is not a hive. It is a toy.


I suppose you have a spring there. It is not time to change fmares and give foundations in.

When you have normal hive, get 3 brood boxes and 5-7 supers. You need extra boxes for example if you find a swarm or make a false swarm. You need extra supers too that you take capped frames out and put empty combs in.


I renew every yer about 2 boxes foundations. They get old, they will be broken, they will be ruined during winter and so on.

To draw 2 boxes foundations per summer it is better to wait main nectar flow. False swarm draw foundations very quickly too.

Of course couple of foudations are good in brood box too in early summer that bees may draw them it they feel so. But usually beekeeprs are to earger "to encourage" bees do that and that.

But if you have only 2 box in the hive, let it grow and take that stupid excluder off.
Bye new boxes in time.

 

[Skyhook]

Irrespective of box sizes both scenarios suggested will still sacrifice hard one stores and/or add complexity if moving up to protect heavily invested late stage brood. Surely better to wait until your target frame is primarily freshly laid up and remove at that point. Eggs and larvae are easily and quickly replaced. Yes you'll loose something at some point but that goes for the other options as well. We often 'donate' a frame to another hive, where's the difference? If the colony isn't strong enough to tollerate the loss then simply wait until it is.

In which case might you as well wait until it is sealed, and remove some mites with it?

 

[Rosti]

In which case might you as well wait until it is sealed, and remove some mites with it?

That is true, it is certainly a side benefit of sorts, but I think varroa has a preference for the larger drone brood cells. So personally I operate a drone brood cull by leaving a std Nat BB frame in a 14x12, allow them to build drone brood below and when good and full remove (check with a decap fork to see what I've caught / monitor numbers) and let them start again

 

[Finman]

.
I wonder the English system, one brood and others are mediums. In old good days when colonies were small, it worked well, I suppose.

Now new bee strains need 3 times more space. It is very flexiple
to use even all super frame size or big box as super.

In my country many beekeepers use merely langstroth medium size boxes because Langstroth is too heavy.

But if you want to hang youself in your procedures, please do!

In that picture I gove 3 boxes foundations and the colony draw them in 3 weeks and filled with capped honey. Time is July. It means that next spring I have enough drawn combs

 

[Finman]

.
But guys, how did you succeed to mix mite killing to this issue?

 

[Rosti]

I think it was the potential removal of capped brood that took us there Finman.

 

[Poly Hive]

I have two issues with using full size boxes for supers.

1. My back won't stand it.

2. I work for comb honey and need normal UK supers to achieve it.

PH

 

[hedgerow pete]

if there is a prefered choice i do my frame swaps in july time,

stick a plain fresh sheet of wax foundation in frame position 4 to let them start work on it and well well but not completly drawn swap to position 6. the old frames is moved straight to position 11

 

[Finman]

I think it was the potential removal of capped brood that took us there Finman.

It is worse than varroa itself. Desparate.

 

[Finman]

I have two issues with using full size boxes for supers.

1. My back won't stand it.

2. I work for comb honey and need normal UK supers to achieve it.

PH

Sometimes things are hugged in stone.