Winter Store in Spring

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Honey2wood

New Bee
Joined
Jan 26, 2020
Messages
2
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Location
Bognor Regis
Hive Type
None
I have just gone through my first winter with my hive. I have done my first inspection and everything is really good. Found the queen, loads of grubs and capped brood.
In the autumn / winter I left a full super for the hive as well as a couple of frames of store in the brood box.
During the inspection I have found that some of the super still have capped honey left and both frames of store in the brood box look untouched.
I need to make room for brood and have read that I should replace the stores with empty frames. But what do I do with the honey?. Can I keep it until later in the year or can I let the bees clean the frames?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Graham
 
Did you treat in the autumn? did you also feed? if the answer is yes to either if these, just take them out, seal thgem up or freeze them and keep them for feeding nucs or return them in the autumn
 
loads of grubs and capped brood.
How many frames of brood in all stages (BIAS)?
PS: larvae, not grubs. :)
I need to make room for brood and have read that I should replace the stores with empty frames.
Yes, but room above for nectar as well. Nectar takes up more space than honey and super space must be given. Imagine washing on the line compared to dry clothes folded in the basket: nectar & honey must also be spread to dry.

The current explosive expansion of the brood nest must be accommodated but at the same time BB stores must be sufficient for bees between inspections - two full frames. Balance that with incoming nectar, and don't leave too much capped honey.

If you have drawn brood comb you can add them to the edge of the brood nest. If not, foundation.

Trick is to read the rate of nest expansion, assess the state of the nectar flow in Bognor, have a cuppa and decide whether your actions have responded to the needs of the growing colony.

If you see that the BB is rammed with brood then don't hesitate to add a second. Move 3 or 4 frames of open brood into the centre of the top box and condense the remaining brood under it in the bottom box. This will persuade the bees to use the top BB for brood and not honey, and put that into the super you will add above.

Aim to give regular extra space to give the Q freedom to lay until June and the bees to store nectar above. If you allow the queen to run out of laying space or the bees to run out of storage space, the brood box will be used for nectar and next thing you know, swarm cells will appear.

Is your queen marked?
Do you plan to run two colonies?
 
Did you treat in the autumn? did you also feed?
Thanks for getting back to me. Yes I did treat and feed a small amount of fondant but not excessive... I thought.
If you see that the BB is rammed with brood then don't hesitate to add a second
I have put a larger BB on top and the queen has moved up. I have a lot of "Larvae" and pupae but not yet capped. Originally I was going to take the smaller BB away after the brood emerged but I think I will keep it there for now.
Thanks again for your advise I am learning so much.
 

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