The girls are working like crazy.
I popped the lid a couple of weeks ago and found the 1st shallow super completely combed out and being filled.
So I placed on another shallow.(the deeps are too heavy when full for me).
I popped the lid the other night and half of that shallow is combed out.
I didn't smoke them either time, they never got aggressive.
How often should I be looking in on them?
Every 2 weeks? More often?
Sounds like you are currently opening the hives about every two weeks and your bees are working well. The frequency really depends upon what's happening in your hive. Based upon the progression of drawing comb, opening about every two weeks appears to be about right.
If you were to ask your bees how often, they would respond "never"!
Open your hives often enough to learn and keep up with what's happening in your hive. Keeping a notebook is a great idea as well. Wish I had of done that last year when I installed my packages. I'm keeping notes now!
Recon I can drop on one last shallow for the summer and leave the original bottom shallow for the winter?
So you have two shallow supers on now with the second about 50% drawn?
How are you set up for brood boxes?
My brood box is a deep super with 10 frames.
I have 2 shallows on top of it now.
I'm hoping I can drop on another shallow before June and harvest by July.
Does that seem feasible?
I gather that you are using one deep for brood and currently have two shallow supers for honey stores.
You might want to check the brood box to see how crowded they are and if so, add another deep so the queen will have plenty of room to lay.
Keep a watch on the honey supers and add them as needed. You might have to add one, two, or more depending upon if they need the storage room. Lack of room for storing nectar before it's cured can cause a colony to swarm just like overcrowding in the brood chamber.
It seems I got all of the hard working bees from Ralph's colony that swarmed. :-D
He said the ones that stayed are lazy and just "hang out on the porch, waiting for their government check".
I think I'll look in on the first super and if it's full, I'll get a deep.
But they're awful heavy for me when full.
2 deeps aren't always needed check with other beekeepers in your area to find out how many they use. I never go past a deep and a shallow super for brood. Of course the way the flows are around here you won't get any honey if you let a colony get really large. Remember more bees means you have to leave more honey on during the winter to make sure they make it through. Just keep throwing on those supers as thier needed and you should end up with a rather nice honey crop.
Most of mine are 2 deep. That gives plenty room for the queen and after I get honey the have
the other deep to store winter.
I try to leave their gathering for them. I am not that greedy, to take all from them and then have to feed. :)doak
OK I peeped in a few minutes ago.
I didn't smoke them and just removed the lid and brushed off a few. as not to skoosh them.
You can see how much they've built out that foundation.
This will be two weeks old Sunday.
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/screamingcockatoo/comb1.jpg)
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/screamingcockatoo/comb2.jpg)
Your not too far from where I am. I would keep an eye on things. If you don't do a major go through,
if it is just a peek in. I would do that about once a week, (7) days.
During a main flow like we are having right now it is easy to let them get away from you.
I added another super to the swarm colony I got 2&1/2 weeks ago. although the first was drawn comb. You should be getting in to the heavy part of this flow about now. Only a week or maybe two behind me. :)doak
Just wait until next year, when you put those supers back on and the comb is already drawn..... :mrgreen: