Some advice, and practical help, please.

[planbee]

Got my bees from Mike at EasyBee on 19th May.

They have featured on here since then, when I was advised by PH to replace the frame feeder with the eleventh frame, and ensure that frames were arranged with an equal number at each end.

PH said that the penultimate set of frames would be drawn last week, and the final set this week - they have - many thanks!

I called in on Thursday, to find that there had start "nadging" at the wax on the last pair, so I put a second brood box on.

Everything I read about Carnies points to their love of swarming, so I thought "Give 'em plenty of room".

Today, I see that they are plenty of bees nadging away at the centre pair of frames in the new box.

Should I give them a super as well, at this point, or wait until they have fully filled this lot?

That's the advice I need... the practical help is this, I'd very much like to mark my queen, but she must have pawned her crown, because I can't spot her.

Is there anybody in mids-staffs, who can help me find, and mark her, please?

Oh yes, and maybe a natter over a pint, after?

John

 

[hedgerow pete]

which bit of mid staffs are you, and from what you have said you seam to be doing everything spot on

 

[planbee]

Thanks Pete,

I did keep bees before, but it was a long time ago, and not for long.

Would have done a beginners course again, but couldn't get in, and you can only re-learn so much from Ted Hoopers "Guide to....."

This forum is excellent, not only does somebody come back with an answer, and very quickly, you also get two or three "donations" which makes you realise that there ain't just one way of doing things, there are several.

You take all the answers, and then you take your pick - it's great!

I'm at Stone, about 5 or 6 miles North of Stafford.

John

 

[planbee]

I'm reading about all these people on this forum, taking supers off to extract, or making more supers because they are running out.

My ladies haven't even entered the super yet, it's sitting there, with frames of undrawn foundation.

They are in the second brood box, immediately below, and they are quite busily drawing out the foundation there.

I should point out that there are two or three frames of uncapped honey/nectar in the bottom brood box - and very heavy it is, too.

Any idea's when I should be getting the extractor ready?

John

 

[David P]

Had a similar problem up until 3 weeks ago and then following advice i took the queen excluder off for a few days, then replaced it. It would seem they are reluctant to make the move until they feel it is familiar to them.Just make sure HRH isnt in a super when you put the excluder back on.

 

[planbee]

OK David,

Thanks for that, I'll call in on Monday, and whip it off, it's very windy and wet here today, so I won't disturb them.

I was down there yesterday, to inspect the hive, and I also took the opportunity to swap the brood box and floor - they were the ones that they came in, when I got them from Mike the Bee.

They now have a new box, an open mesh floor, and a new roof, the old ones can be sterilised, and be added to my store of "bits".

The good news was, no sign of any mites on the old floor - thanks once again to Mike.

Also scrubbed all the big rocks in their water bowl, scrubbed the bowl, and re-filled it - yes, I know that they might go and slurp from a mucky puddle, but if there's going to be any muck in the hive, it's not going to due to me.

John