space... judgement of.

[Poly Hive]

I popped up to the bees this afternoon to arrange a colony for cell starting and its neighbour who yesterday was getting very nicely with their super of comb honey. However today there were a large number of bees hanging out the front.

The temperature has dropped some 6 degrees and it is raining.

Therefore due to lack of flying every one was at home and the unlucky ones were out the front door due to lack of space.

I pinched back a super I had put on yesterday on another colony and with in minutes the cluster at the front had gone.

Working for comb honey needs tight supering but at the same time it can be just a touch too tight.

Sorry girls.

PH

 

[Finman]

.
I had the same phenomenom a week ago. I think that it was moisture inside hive which made them hang near entrance. Hives were not too full of bees. It was very misty and cold outside and they had got water rich nectar.

 

[Poly Hive]

Interesting Finman.

This was definitely a very large amount of bees. And near a full super of comb honey.

PH

 

[Nopants]

Interesting Finman.

This was definitely a very large amount of bees. And near a full super of comb honey.

PH

I had my bee inspector round today. My hive is a national hive with canolian Bees. Im keeping them on a single brood box and have 3 supers on at the moment. The Inspector seem to think that they could be getting ready to swarm as the brood bok was full of bees. I already took to frames of brood off last week to make up a nuc. Do you think I should put on another brood box to give the queen more room to Lay? If so should I place this on top or below the original brood box? Incidently there were no Queen cells just play cup

 

[Poly Hive]

I am running mine on doubles. They are quite capable of having 18 to 20 brood frames.

I put my 2nd BB on top and let the queen decide what she wants to do.

Obviously a queen excluder on top of the brood boxes, then the supers.

PH

 

[Nopants]

Cheers for that!

Thats what I will do then. I dont want them swarming this year if I can help it.

 

[chalkie]

I popped up to the bees this afternoon to arrange a colony for cell starting and its neighbour who yesterday was getting very nicely with their super of comb honey. However today there were a large number of bees hanging out the front.

The temperature has dropped some 6 degrees and it is raining.

Therefore due to lack of flying every one was at home and the unlucky ones were out the front door due to lack of space.

I pinched back a super I had put on yesterday on another colony and with in minutes the cluster at the front had gone.

Working for comb honey needs tight supering but at the same time it can be just a touch too tight.

Sorry girls.

PH

My bees have been hanging out the front for a couple of weeks now, they swarmed last week, i caught them and put them back and there still hanging out and they have plenty off room.

 

[MrDooza]

They may be to hot as it loos like you have your winter restricting block in the entrance.

 

[Poly Hive]

You still have the entrance block in, they are too warm.

"Listen to the bees"

PH

 

[gavin]

... unless that's a mesh floor there ....

G.

 

[ballibeg]

Clive de Bruin talks about leaving entrance blocks in all year.

Dave

 

[Finman]

Carniola is eager to swarm. Nuc making will not stop it.
It is only way to make a false flying swarm if they have queen cells.

 

[chalkie]

You still have the entrance block in, they are too warm.

"Listen to the bees"

PH

Didn't know the entrance block had to be removed (solid floor), thought it helped to combat robbing although that roof doesn't have any vents in it, now wheres my drill.

 

[Geoff]

The mesh floor would not do any good, they seem to be on a layer of bricks. I would have a mesh floor in place and put the hive so that is on a stand that leaves an open space under the hive .

 

[jbr]

The mesh floor would not do any good, they seem to be on a layer of bricks. I would have a mesh floor in place and put the hive so that is on a stand that leaves an open space under the hive .

I'm not sure what people are sugesting here? If you have an open mesh floor should the entrance block be in place all year round, ie only to remove the block when the hive is placed on a solid surface? Or should the entrance block be removed regardless of whatever the hive is sitting on during summer?

 

[Poly Hive]

The hive should be positioned so that the floor can ventilate the hive. So it should be set up on some bricks or a stand of some sort.

I prefer to remove the entrance block as frankly I find for a colony of any strength it causes congestion at the entrance. Also it impedes ventilation which I find with my hives is mainly powered through the front and not the floor.

PH