Some advice please

[Smallbeehive]

I have a super on which I am using mainly to feed the bees in, I have a small hole the crown board that allows a few bees thru into the super at a time. I have two frames in there which the bees have still not taken down and today i went into fill their feeder and saw they have started to build one of the frames with fresh wax on the outside and also started to build comb from the floor up right next to the entrance hole. Currently the bees are very active still bringing in loads of pollen and taking 2/1 sugar water down.

What's best to do in this situation ? Obviously it's not ideal but would I be OK to leave them to it as they seem to determined to be up there and can't possibly build much more before slowing for winter. I could then leave the super on for winter as the hive will be well insulated above this. This way might they access and use these stores above first and take them down when needed? Or is there a better solution. Thanks

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You're trying to do two things at once - never works.
You are giving them loads of ready syrup to store while at the same time allowing them to get into an empty super i.e. loads of space to store stuff in above the brood.
A bit late in the season to do much now so close up the holes in the crown board, nadir the half filled frames you have, feed them properly and let them prepare for winter.
Far too much nonsense is spouted about putting frames above the crown board for 'bees to clean out' after extraction or to move stores down.

 

[steve1958]

Yes, get them out of the empty super.
Block up the hole in the crown board.
And then when you have finished feeding remove the empty super and feeder.
Clean the top of the crown board , and then put the lid on.

 

[thorn]

Block it with a bee escape so you don't trap a load of bees in the super. And take the frame out so there's nothing to attract them into trying to get back.

 

[Smallbeehive]

OK thanks for all the advice guys I have taken it all onboard and will be attempting to get the porter bee thingy in there today/tomorrow to hopefully clear the bees out. How long does this take roughly and do they actually work never used one before?

jenkinsbrynmair - Ideally I could nadir those frames as you suggest but I am unfamiliar with the process tbh and not overly confident I could do this well enough myself without disrupting the bees esp now it's cold and they seem more pissy since the wasps are at the hive daily. The bees are more defensive and wasps try and get in when I open up. Could I just take the frames away and give back in Spring?

 

[Erichalfbee]

OK thanks for all the advice guys I have taken it all onboard and will be attempting to get the porter bee thingy in there today/tomorrow to hopefully clear the bees out. How long does this take roughly and do they actually work never used one before?

jenkinsbrynmair - Could I just take the frames away and give back in Spring?

Yes absolutely.
Bung them in the freezer

It’s easy, however, to nadir a box
New floor next to hive. Put shallow on that. Crack brood box off old floor and move. I bet you’ll lose only a few bees on the floor

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes absolutely.
Bung them in the freezer

It’s easy, however, to nadir a box
New floor next to hive. Put shallow on that. Crack brood box off old floor and move. I bet you’ll lose only a few bees on the floor

 

[Smallbeehive]

Yes absolutely.
Bung them in the freezer

It’s easy, however, to nadir a box
New floor next to hive. Put shallow on that. Crack brood box off old floor and move. I bet you’ll lose only a few bees on the floor

Thank you! Might give it a go then when/if the bees clear out the super.

 

[Smallbeehive]

Added the bee escape (pic below) presume this is on right ? Smoke out as many bees as possible but there absolutely loads between the frames which I wasn't expecting.


https://poetandpoem.com/interpretation-little-orphant-annie-james-whitcomb-riley

Also I am sure someone said bees wouldn't or shouldn't build comb in a 20mm eke space? Unfortunately it looks like they have completely built up in the 20mm space and this became apparent when fitting the bee escape - I saw loads of comb on top of the frames once I removed the mesh on the crown hole so i gently lifted CB from side and it's full of comb I have left it alone for now but I am not happy the bees are really testing me as a beginner. I am completely off the idea of using an eke space now and was wandering if I invested in one of the acid vapourizer kits would this be sufficient alone to treat the bees in the future.

 

[Swarm]

Bees will even build comb in bee space if they have nowhere else, I once had to cut a nuc out of its box to go into a hive.

 

[Smallbeehive]

Bees will even build comb in bee space if they have nowhere else, I once had to cut a nuc out of its box to go into a hive.

They haven't built up the outside frames in broodbox thou? At least they hadn't 2 weeks ago when I checked last and they also did this before when there were frames available in brood box.

 

[Ian123]

It’s warmer up top that’s why they do it you often have to manipulate frames up against those frames containing brood to get them to draw/fill. Mine are still drawing filling now but only those with feed on!!

 

[Swarm]

I just noticed you said you have an eke on, are you still treating as well? One of the reasons for not feeding while using apiguard is the comb they could build in the eke.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you keep on feeding when they have more than enough stores, they will fill any space to store it, whoever said they won't fill a 20mm eke space was wrong.

 

[Smallbeehive]

I just noticed you said you have an eke on, are you still treating as well? One of the reasons for not feeding while using apiguard is the comb they could build in the eke.

Ahh yes that makes sense I was late with the treatment and moved from nuc to hive quite late on in the year so I still needed to feed them to get stores up so did both together, have read others have done this also but I guess it depends on the bees and other factors and this outcome is always a possibility something to learn from for me.

 

[Swarm]

Ahh yes that makes sense I was late with the treatment and moved from nuc to hive quite late on in the year so I still needed to feed them to get stores up so did both together, have read others have done this also but I guess it depends on the bees and other factors and this outcome is always a possibility something to learn from for me.

Beekeeping is all about timing, some things depend on temperature which is why you CAN set one of your activities by the calendar .... removing supers. I have mine off and treatment on in August.

 

[Beefriendly]

Beekeeping is all about timing, some things depend on temperature which is why you CAN set one of your activities by the calendar .... removing supers. I have mine off and treatment on in August.

That specific calendar timing only applies if you live in YOUR local micro climate.
I usually have hives on the heather until mid September and then they come back for treatment and feeding.
Those that don't go to the heather get their supers removed and extracted (weather dependant) around mid September.
Note these timings only apply where I live, you will need to determine when your own flows finish in your area etc....you cannot set your beekeeping activities by someone else's calendar in a different locality.

 

[Swarm]

Then you will notice I talked about my approach and not yours, I did say I take mine off.
Not everyone shifts hives about and I really doubt the OP does.
Anyone can decide to remove supers at the end of July, it really doesn't depend on where you live, it's just a choice but a better one than leaving apiguard treatment until October, IMO.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They haven't built up the outside frames in broodbox thou? At least they hadn't 2 weeks ago when I checked last and they also did this before when there were frames available in brood box.

A learning point for the future - if you give them more space up top too early, they will work straight up rather than work sideways, you could even end up with them funneling - working straight up in a narrow column rather than work to the sides.
This is especially true with a small colony transferred from a nuc to a full hive. In that case it is wise not to add a super until they've almost finished drawing out the brood - you may get away with it when there's a good flow on, but late season it's doubtful