Hi there,
I am a new beekeeper and I have a few questions I was hoping some of you experienced beekeepers could help me with?
-Is it ever appropriate to move around frames in the brood box? I recently put a super on (since the brood box was getting pretty full) and my bees started filling the super, but neglected one last frame in the brood box upon las inspection. Will it hurt the brood at all by moving frames around?
-Also, I've been feeding my bees a 1:1 ratio (I live in Gainesville, FL) since I got them in early April, should I continue to feed or cut them off at some point?
Thanks in advance for any help :)
Allison
My opinion:
I believe it to be appropriate to move frames around. The one frame that they haven't drawn out I would put just to the outside of the last frame that has brood in it.
Regarding the feed, I would keep feeding them until they quit taking it. In the fall, consider putting the feed back on if they don't have sufficient stores to make it through the winter.
Hope that helps,
John
Quote from: allisono on June 02, 2011, 01:43:09 PM
I recently put a super on
-Also, I've been feeding my bees a 1:1 ratio (I live in Gainesville, FL) since I got them in early April, should I continue to feed or cut them off at some point?
Thanks in advance for any help :)
Allison
Unless you want syrup filled honey frames in super, I would quit feeding. I would think that in Gainesville, Fl you should have enough of a flow to fill your super with honey, not sugar syrup
did you put a honey super on, or add a second brood box?
yes, you may move frames.
I put a super on, not a 2nd brood box :)
Allisono, a certain size box is not a super or brood box. Any size box can be either. It is the use of, not the size, that makes it one or the other.
If you expect to harvest honey from it, it is a honey super. Do not feed while it is on the hive.
If you are going to leave it for the bees, it is a brood box. You can continue to feed.
Yeah, I would quit the sugar feeding for sure. Feed until you see some capped stores then take it off. This is only my second year of beekeeping, but it wasnt til a while ago when I saw a video of Dee Lusby and Deknow working bees in Arizona, that I even thought to manipulate frames into the broodnest. For some reason it just never occurred for me to do so. Since Ive been rotating empty frames towards the middle, I can see a big difference in hive performance.
I wouldn't move them randomly, but if you have a goal in mind it may be appropriate to move them around to accomplish that goal. Like opening the brood nest, or getting the outside frames drawn. If you move them around for no reason, you just make them rearrange what is in the combs to their preference again. It's like someone coming in and rearranging your furniture and your kitchen. How ill you find the silverware? They put things where they put them for a reason.
I would think that, being in FL., you may have just put another brood box on that happens to be shallow. I bet the "super" will be filled with brood instead of honey.
QuoteI would think that, being in FL., you may have just put another brood box on that happens to be shallow. I bet the "super" will be filled with brood instead of honey.
that's kind of where i was going, but didn't quite get there. thanks :-D
Thanks to those that offered "helpful" feedback :) And to clarify, I have a queen excluder between the brood box and super (as with all things I realize there are differing opinions on using an excluder).
Best,
Allison
couple of things to think about. one deep is not much room. if it fills with bees/stores and they feel crowded, you'll have them swarm. also, is the foundation in your honey super drawn out? if not, they may not cross that excluder to draw it out and....swarm.
hopefully someone from your area can give you some local advice.
.
Your hive is doing well.
It is summer now and bees get food outside
it is wrong to feed hive with sugar in summer . What is the idea?
Now it is time to add number of bees, not thinging winter stores.
Feeding adds swarming too. You may loose your bees.
Give to them foundation box under the brood box and then anothe new box between filled super and brood. This is to prevent swarming.
In July your hive is capable to forage a good yield.