Too much honey in brood box - no room for eggs!

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malawi2854

House Bee
Joined
Nov 16, 2009
Messages
205
Reaction score
0
Location
Tonbridge, Kent
Hive Type
14x12
Number of Hives
5
Hello,

Following my hive swarming a short while ago, I believe that the new queen has emerged, but haven't yet seen her - I haven't wanted to poke around in there too much, in case I upset them too much.

According to my timings, I believe she should have started laying during this last week (no eggs last weekend - so fingers crossed for tomorrow!).

Anyway - I believe I have the same problem now that I had before they swarmed - a lack of space for eggs, due to my bees obsession with storing nectar in the brood frames.

On my last inspection, they have 5 FULL 14x12 frames (both sides) full of capped honey. They have supers - and have drawn out about 1/2 of the frames (it's all new stuff - new beekeeper), and what they have drawn out, they have filled and capped.

I am very concerned that my (hopefully) newly emerged queen won't have space to lay any eggs when she comes into lay. What (if anything) should I do?

The centre areas of the brood frames, where there was brood, they have now started filling with nectar too.

The couple of people I've spoken to assure me the bees will realise this is a problem, and will shift the nectar themselves... but I'm not so sure - so am seeking reassurance really!!! :grouphug:
 
Yes your friends are correct and the bees will make room for the queen and as you have supers on the hive they have room to move the nectar and honey if they need to.
 
If they have room, then they will make room for egg laying when the queen has mated,don't know about your timing regards the queen should be mated....could be couple of weeks may be five weeks...depends on size of colony, and very much on weather,no fixed time.
 
Thanks for your replies - my timing on the queen is based on the times I've got out of books and on the web - so no doubt all averages.

Weather around here has been quite good - very very little rain over the last few weeks, and nice warm days... although a bit windy here and there.

I'm keeping everything crossed for tomorrow's inspection!

I will leave the movement of stores in the more than capable mandibles of my bees then!


Thanks!
 
Yeah, I'm with you Steve. No point in pulling their nest apart and disturbing them. That's exactly how virgin queens get lost.

I think all beeks have had exactly the same scenario - brood frames fill up with honey and newly mated queen has no where to lay.

At this time in the season bees get really reluctant to draw comb. I would re-arrange the fames in the super, put some foundation in between two drawn frames directly above the brood nest so it is easier for them to draw out. Maybe alternate frames drawn frames and those with foundation.
 

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