On May 30th, of this year I found a swarm in my plumb tree. I always wanted bees. [img=http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/9283/beesy.jpg]http:// (http://img40.imageshack.us/i/beesy.jpg/)
I wasn't sure what to do so I put the bee's in a cardboard box overnight. The next day a friend of mine loaned me a deep brood box. I made a platform for it and put the bee's in. [img=http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/6861/img0002fet.jpg] (http://img142.imageshack.us/i/img0002fet.jpg/) I then ordered new boxes from Dadent. I ordered two deeps and two medium supers, along with a bottom board and cover. My dad called me a week later and said he had a swarm at his house. It was only the size of my fist but I got it and per your instructions tried to combine the two. (http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/4918/img0006mdm.th.jpg) (http://img39.imageshack.us/i/img0006mdm.jpg/) It didn't work and the bee's in the top left I think. I left the second box on though and my bee friend Loyd came over to see how they were doing. (http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/7708/img0013h.th.jpg) (http://img228.imageshack.us/i/img0013h.jpg/) He said they were doing well. I waited until they started drawing out seven of the frames in the second deep and then added the medium. After three weeks I inspected today. August 10th. Nothing in the super, bees but no comb. I could barely lift the second deep. It was real heavy and just loaded with bees. I took out a couple frames from the second or top brood. It has some brood but mostly honey. (http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/1732/img0019bht.th.jpg) (http://img194.imageshack.us/i/img0019bht.jpg/) While inspecting the bottom deep i found that they have three frames not even drawn. There is a lot of brood down there though and a little honey. I still have not found the queen. Since the top deep was so full I am trying something. I put the medium in between the top and bottom brood box. I want to see if they will start drawing it out this way. The golden rod is just now starting here and I figure there will be probably five weeks of it. Wish me luck and thanks to all that have helped. Oh I used smoke today. It sure made a difference.
That's a really beautiful hive you have going Harvey. Gratz!
Thanks! I can't really take any credit though, bought all i did was put them in a box, They stayed and have made something out of themselves.
That's a fine looking frame - looks like you're off to a great start.