What a difference a week makes

[aberreef]

I checked my tbh yesterday and what a difference from last week. Until now the combs have been about 2/3 the depth of the hive and been covered in brood, no drones and little stores.

7 days later and they've made 2 new combs that are full of nectar and extended the other 8 brood frames by 4" downwards. The last brood comb is mainly sealed drone cells. The biggest change though is the amount of nectar that they've placed through the brood combs. It's everywhere! The brace comb and all the empty brood cells are full.

The queen was on the botton of one of the brood combs so obviously laying in the new 4" bit but should I be concerned about them swarming? There were no queen cells as far as I could see but should I introduce an empty bar into the brood area to encourage new laying areas?

They've been busy bees

 

[tonybloke]

It sounds as if they might run out of room soon, so Yes, add more top bars! have you any 'bait' hives in the area? if they are producing drones, they are getting ready to swarm in the next few weeks, (usually)

 

[aberreef]

Thanks for the reply.

My bait hive is in my back garden atm, about a mile from the main hive. I'll move it closer today and will add a bar or two to the brood area.

 

[aberreef]

Took another look today and alot of what i thought was nectar in the brood combs is actually brood, still alot of nectar though.

I've split the brood area into 3 by adding 2 fresh bars. Also put a clean bar in the middle of the store combs to encourage them to draw plenty of new comb. I also noticed a few other small areas of brood comb (not sealed.

Will this be enough to stop them swarming? I've read about removing drones before they hatch so should I remove the drone frame?