Super empty for three weeks

[Zante]

Well, not empty, plenty of bees in the super, but it's not being drawn.

In the meantime wax in the brood box has been drawn even further and the bees almost don't have room to move. Plenty of new brace comb between the frames and plenty of wax between the top bars and the queen excluder.

I assumed the QE was annoying them somehow, so I removed it and put the super back.

There seems to be a bit of a lull in foraging. I have seen uncapped liquid in the brood box, but they seem to be bringing in enough to keep up with the stores in the BB, but not to stock up. I wonder if that's because of perceived lack of space (despite the super above them).

I will have to do something about the extra thickness of the combs. It'll probably be removing castellations and one brood frame, and decide what to do later on when the combs are emptied of brood and stores after winter. I'll probably trim the wax.

Removing the castellations isn't going to be fun in a full hive. Any suggestions?

 

[wightbees]

You could get another box and transfer frames over then remove the runners and use that box on the next Hive.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Well, not empty, plenty of bees in the super, but it's not being drawn.

In the meantime wax in the brood box has been drawn even further and the bees almost don't have room to move. Plenty of new brace comb between the frames and plenty of wax between the top bars and the queen excluder.

I assumed the QE was annoying them somehow, so I removed it and put the super back.

There seems to be a bit of a lull in foraging. I have seen uncapped liquid in the brood box, but they seem to be bringing in enough to keep up with the stores in the BB, but not to stock up. I wonder if that's because of perceived lack of space (despite the super above them).

I will have to do something about the extra thickness of the combs. It'll probably be removing castellations and one brood frame, and decide what to do later on when the combs are emptied of brood and stores after winter. I'll probably trim the wax.

Removing the castellations isn't going to be fun in a full hive. Any suggestions?

Trying to work out what you are doing - how many slots are in the castellations you are using in the brood box? Personally I think castellations in the brood are an abomination and wouldn't use anything but dn4 (or equivalent for other depths) in conjunction with rails and make sure the frame are tight to maintain correct spacing.
I wouldn't fool about trying to remove castellations from an occupied box. Swap the frames into a new or spare box and modify at your leisure.
As others will tell you, the bees will only draw comb when they need it. However sometimes it helps if you spray the foundation with sugar syrup. Alternatively try a couple of drawn frames in the super to give them a start.

 

[Zante]

Trying to work out what you are doing - how many slots are in the castellations you are using in the brood box?

Ten slots. Consider we're talking about Ddant, so I don't know how that changes things.

Personally I think castellations in the brood are an abomination and wouldn't use anything but dn4 (or equivalent for other depths) in conjunction with rails and make sure the frame are tight to maintain correct spacing.

I've had a look around for plastic spacers, but it looks like I'll have to either order them from France, or manually space the frames.
In any case plastic spacers would only space the frames the same distance as the castellations, and while they would help with inspections, they don't solve the issue of the overdrawn comb. As things stand now I cannot pull a frame out without seriously disturbing the bees.

I wouldn't fool about trying to remove castellations from an occupied box. Swap the frames into a new or spare box and modify at your leisure.

Agreed on that. The problem is that I don't have much space to manoeuvre. The location I've chosen is perfect for two hives, but no more. If I want to expand I have to look for another apiary (two already lined up).

I was hoping to leave them for this season and let them go into winter with a packed brood box. In spring, take empty combs out and trim them down, and take advantage of the peach flow to have them repair it.

As others will tell you, the bees will only draw comb when they need it. However sometimes it helps if you spray the foundation with sugar syrup. Alternatively try a couple of drawn frames in the super to give them a start.

I have recently found some drawn comb that I can use. I hadn't visited the hives for two weeks, and I was expecting at least some comb being drawn, but now I see they haven't drawn it at all I might put a couple of those old frames in. The comb is quite damaged, but the bees should be able to repair it fine.

I'll go and put the combs in tomorrow afternoon, and I'll see what difference removing the QE has made, although I expect to see more bees in the super as the only difference.

 

[Zante]

I've finished inspecting the frames that I've found.

I've put together about 10 frames of comb that isn't too bad. There are some more, I could probably put together two supers, but the others are in a bit of a worse condition. Also the old lady has found in the barn another of their old hives, so there might be more.

Tomorrow afternoon, after work (after 6:30) I will go and replace some of the foundation in the super with this comb. The supers have 9 frames. I was thinking of alternating comb and foundation so that I end up with 5 combs and 4 foundation.

With any other comb and with the rest of the foundation frames I will make whatever number of supers I can mixing it in the same way and store them on location

Does that sound like a good plan?

 

[Olivia9801]

Well, not empty, plenty of bees in the super, but it's not being drawn.

In the meantime wax in the brood box has been drawn even further and the bees almost don't have room to move. Plenty of new brace comb between the frames and plenty of wax between the top bars and the queen excluder.

I assumed the QE was annoying them somehow, so I removed it and put the super back.

There seems to be a bit of a lull in foraging. I have seen uncapped liquid in the brood box, but they seem to be bringing in enough to keep up with the stores in the BB, but not to stock up. I wonder if that's because of perceived lack of space (despite the super above them).




I will have to do something about the extra thickness of the combs. It'll probably be removing castellations and one brood frame, and decide what to do later on when the combs are emptied of brood and stores after winter. I'll probably trim the wax.

Removing the castellations isn't going to be fun in a full hive. Any suggestions?

I am having the same problem. I have a flourishing double brood colony which is almost bursting at the seams. As they were expanding in the brood chambers I put the super on in plenty of time but after almost 4weeks, they still aren't making comb in the super.

I have removed the queen after forum members advice and still no comb after a week!

Fingers crossed!

 

[Zante]

Well, the bees have drawn a lot of the frames. Not completely yet, but all frames at once, and some of them already have some nectar.

The stronger hive I just left to get on with its work. The weaker one was a bit behind, but still going well. I removed the frames they hadn't started drawing (three) and put in the best three frames of the comb I found. That should help them catch up a bit with the other.

It's not so far behind as to need a frame of BIAS, it's also doing quite well now, just not as well as hive one.

The net result is that I have in storage a super of drawn comb that is a bit damaged, with two frames of foundation and a full super of comb that I found in the barn. Should I need to add them to the hives, the damaged comb plus foundation is going on the stronger hive, while the full comb is going on the lagging one.

Now the bramble flow has started, and there's plenty of bramble on all of the stone walls around the countryside. There are also quite a few limes in range, and they're in bloom, and although I haven't looked for them, chestnut flow coincides more or less with the lime flow, and there should be plenty of those around, and I've seen some catalpa in the village, which also should be in range.
Apart from the above there should be plenty around. I have seen a few wildflowers even though the sun is beating down and there's a creeper vine that is blooming right now that is quite widespread (posted ID thread in the main forum).

... so things are definitely looking up, and I might even get a nice crop this year.

I suppose I did super too early, more early than I thought I was.
Well, that's inexperience for you I suppose.

 

[JWF]

Better to super too early than too late!