doing some hive inspections and and IPM and trying to figure out how to deal with all the crazyness that prevails after a summer of bees doing their thing.
Having left them alone for the most part during the summer, now frames are of course built up, crossed over with wax, propolised/fused together . . . and of course they connect the frames from the top hive body to the lower body.
So carnage ensues trying to get frames out, put them back in, remove the top box - exposing all sorts of honey in the wax built up between bodies, then trying to put everything back together etc.
trying to scrape away all the wax between the hive bodies of course wipes out hundreds of bees (and who knows, maybe the queen, since they are all converging on the open honey). If I don't scrape it away, then if I try to put the top box on, I will crush them all anyway.
Taking frames out of course rolls many bees because they have built out sections that make it difficult/ near on impossible to get that first frame out without doing some damage. Same putting it back and squeezing the other frames together again.
My least favorite part of beekeeping (and my wife gets so upset because so many bees are dying).
How do you all manage this. Never seems as bad in the spring.
Also got a kick out of the one hive that just wouldnt' do much with supers, but the top box frames are nearly 95% capped honey - beautiful 10 frames of capped honey . . . . at least I can't complain that they won't have stores for winter
Honey between boxes is a sign of improper beespace or no empty space to store nectar. Both easily corrected, or avoided.
Cross frame comb is also a problem coming from the beek, not the bees. It, too, can be avoided.
3 tips for you Tandermx:
1) Use smoke to force the bees down into the hive before you scrape wax off the top bars. This will allow you to tidy things up without killing many if any bees.
2) A mistake I have been making is to space all frames evenly in a box. I've learned to push them all together so that there is a little space at either end of the box. Then it's much easier to remove that first frame without causing chaos.
3) Do more frequent inspections. No need to go overboard, but I've found that checking in on them every month or so is enough to keep the frames less "propolized" and easier to move about - like a rusty door, using it more often is going to help a lot, but let it sit and it will seize up.
Good luck, I hope you find things get easier as you spend more time in the hives.
John.
We do try to push frames together (and using 10 frame in standard box). There seems to be limits to doing this perfectly except when frames are brand spanking new due to propolis, extra wax bits here and there, etc. You get that 2-year old frame that is built up a bit wider than others, or one that comes from a purchased nuc that is a bit unruly, spreading things out a bit more than I would prefer. I know I need to rotate some new frames in to help manage this space better, but that sometimes causes problems too as they build up the old frame next to the new frame such that the old frame extends into the new frames space, then I am back to square one.
Between frames I am not sure how I can further manage that bee space. Kinda limited to standard frames and standard boxes. I can see if there is no where to store nectar, but they certainly always had space in supers that they were not very aggressive at filling, deciding to put at least some effort between boxes instead.
We did smoke the heck out of them to try to force them down. It certainly worked to some degree, but was a losing battle as the exposed honey was enticing to the gazillion bees that seemed to be in this particular hive. So the second I was off the smoke to grab the box, the honey was covered with hundreds of bees again.
Maybe deeper inspections in summer are warranted for cleaning detail, but hate to disturb them when I look in the top box and they are obviously queen right and looking good.
hmmmmm. Trying to corral nature can be difficult. :-\
Yep, Mother Nature just has a way of brushing past you and continuing on her merry way, regardless of what we may want to happen doesn't she?! :-D
As far as keeping the frames together, yes, I know what you mean about the wax and propolis that prevents them being pushed together properly. I've been trying to correct my mistakes by cleaning things up after I've extracted - by early Winter it's often easier to get all the equipment cleaned up and working better, as you have less frames in the hive, and the bee population is a lot smaller.
Best regards,
John.