stores in super not in brood??? problem??

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milkermel

Field Bee
Joined
Oct 29, 2009
Messages
768
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Location
left of launceston right of bude!
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
6
Did a check on one of my hives yesturday, This is my first year of having Supers on so apologies if I am being dense!

Hive is from a swarm in May they drew out the brood box and filled quickly so put supers on, half have now been utilised and nearly caped alternated with blank foundation supers about a month ago but nothing much on them.

Last check was 2 weeks ago when there were stores in the brood box and stuff coming on well upstairs (was almost considering liberating a frame from them so that I may just have a jar or two this year!!) However on inspection yesterday the brood box apart from having lava eggs capped etc is looking rather empty? There are LOTS of bees around and we have had a couple of not so good days wet and colder. So having never seen this sort of layout before ie very little stores in brood box should I be paniking yet or is there something i should be doing, or will the girls just bring the stores down into the brood box We are having a good week aparently this week so at least they can get back out and find stuff, but as always not sure if there is something i should be doing to help!

Thanks folks!!
 
The bees will start to use the stores now as the nectar will have almost stopped apart from say Ivy later this month and into September.
If you still have supers on the hive the bees will be fine but if you remove them you will have to give them a bit of syrup and monitor the situation.
 
I think first you need to decide whether your bees are best on a standard brood box or brood and a half next year ( my veiw is the larger box is necessary for most AM crosses so na larger brood requires a larger box unless you have black AMMx)

my 1st May split is now filling a full 14x12, one 80% capped super with worked on foundation in another super under it to give them night room space

the only stores in the 14x12 are the outer faces of the number 1 and 11 frames but since the flow stoped empty cells in the brood

so similar to yours

if you are going for brood and a half next year, i would remove the QE now so they can move the cluster/brood area up ( i assume you will put apiguard on similar on in the next few weeks, so any remaining honey will be unsalable)

therefore at least extract one frame, just to see, how good your honey is
 
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Think i may need brood and half as first box seem intent on swarming in may, this box like i said is full of bees I was trying to keep it simple and only have bb but maybe i will just have to bite the bullet, presume i just remove qx and let them do their thing?

I do have apiguard life at the ready, so maybe now after remove of suggested frame I will get the treatment going and then chuck some ambrosia feed down their honey gussling throats!

There was good stores only 2 weeks ago so goes to show how quick things can change!

Check the other 3 hives 2 morrow
 
You can move on to brood and a half if you want to this alone wont stop your bees wanting to swarm but it may help and slow the urge, also if the hive is large the super will give reassurance to you and extra stores over the winter.
It is surprising how things can change one of my hives was very low and needed feeding last week and I will have to watch that now.
 
to me there seems to be a lot of bee, however to experienced beeks they may disagree, all i know is that i have one heck of a job to get hive back together without squishing bees, dont have that problem with other hives! will be making some feed up anyway for my small swarm of walking bees for treating them so wont hurt i guess to make some more!
 

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