Super of wild comb above brood

[tom8400]

Afternoon all

I acquired a hive consisting of a deep brood and super, knowing nothing else about the internals of the hive other than they are a lot more friendly than my other hive. So I opened it up lots of effort to get the top off, oh no crown board brace/wild comb everywhere. So I pulled any out that was falling apart and leaking honey everywhere. However there was sealed and emerging brood also. So I did a bit of re configuration and put 3 frames in and re assembled leaving the rest. Put a q/e on top now they have two supers above this and drawering and filling like rockets.

The initial wild comb removal made such a mess as you can imagine bees falling out the entrance in a big heap with honey everywhere there were loads under the floor, I really thought they were done. So I left it and this is where I then added a q/e and now two supers. However I really need to sort this out so I can check the brood in the bottom more than the initial glance I had in the super.

So if anyone is still following any ideas on best method to get them back on track and into winter? The kind me thinks leave it as it is, if they swarm at any time or next spring or die out in winter then so be it, but the sensible thinking me says no that is not the correct way, I need to get it sorted out, but I don't really want to lose this colony as they seem to be a lot better than my original hive.

Other than that I'm quite pleased with them all so far

Side note darn I should have got a nuc of buckfasts and loads of supers stock piled before this spring/summer


Thanks in advance

 

[Eyeman]

Well done for sorting it all out there and then- doesn't go away if you put it off. Reminds one of the importance of bee space and what can happen if it's violated

 

[drex]

They can still swarm in July, so weekly inspections in the brood box is still my practice. Just a quick flick through looking for queen cells. I would have put the original brace comb box over the QE. That way the brood in it would hatch out, without anymore being added, and then you could remove the last bit of brace comb. Think I have understood your original post correctly. If there is honey in the remaining brace comb, if you put it above the crown board, leaving just small holes in the board, they will rob the honey out and take it down into your super frames.

 

[tom8400]

Thanks drex I did put a few handfuls above for them to do that, I didn't get chance to put the QE underneath as I thought they were struggling too much covered in honey, right sticky mess.

So like what you've basically said I need to get QE underneath if there is brood if just honey I can remove, so how would you recommend doing this? As I do worry I know they are bees and bees make honey, but how much can they tolerate running down through the brood box? They all fall out the entrance or do I not need to worry about this? And just crack on and get it done, I'd imagine time of day and certain temperature would help? Any ideas?

 

[Amari]

Afternoon all

I acquired a hive consisting of a deep brood and super, knowing nothing else about the internals of the hive other than they are a lot more friendly than my other hive. So I opened it up lots of effort to get the top off, oh no crown board brace/wild comb everywhere. So I pulled any out that was falling apart and leaking honey everywhere. However there was sealed and emerging brood also. So I did a bit of re configuration and put 3 frames in and re assembled leaving the rest. Put a q/e on top now they have two supers above this and drawering and filling like rockets.

The initial wild comb removal made such a mess as you can imagine bees falling out the entrance in a big heap with honey everywhere there were loads under the floor, I really thought they were done. So I left it and this is where I then added a q/e and now two supers. However I really need to sort this out so I can check the brood in the bottom more than the initial glance I had in the super.
So if anyone is still following any ideas on best method to get them back on track and into winter? The kind me thinks leave it as it is, if they swarm at any time or next spring or die out in winter then so be it, but the sensible thinking me says no that is not the correct way, I need to get it sorted out, but I don't really want to lose this colony as they seem to be a lot better than my original hive.
Other than that I'm quite pleased with them all so far
Side note darn I should have got a nuc of buckfasts and loads of supers stock piled before this spring/summer
Thanks in advance

Are you a member of your local association? Might be good to have an experienced beek to advise

 

[drex]

I would just crack on and do it, bees can tolerate quite a bit, but as Amari says, an experienced eye might be helpful. It would certainly increase your confidence. Have you done much reading or been on a course? can you get advice from where you got the hive?

 

[tom8400]

Not a member to be honest I have found them quite rude and unhelpful whenever I have got in touch. I may have a look this afternoon and try and be quick to avoid to much destruction.

Another off topic question other hive ran out of supers so was going to use a brood box it'll get me some drawn frames for next year, as it has 3 supers on shall I stick it between brood box and supers?

Thanks for info

 

[Amari]

Disappointing to hear about your local association.
Re 'above or below' when adding supers (BB in your case) opinion seems about equally divided. In your case I suggest below your supers then when you clear the supers prior to extraction the bees will be driven down into the BB. Remember bees won't draw foundation unless they need to - in this case lots of bees and continuing nectar flow.