The bees drew out the Miller frame I put in the hive last weekend just like the pictures I've seen. I was kinda surprised they did it in 6 days, because the temperatures have been in the mid 40s to lower 50s all week (and overnight lows in the 20s). No eggs in the comb yet, though.
I also found something weird. When I removed the candy boards last week, the colonies had begun building comb in the space left where the sugar had been eaten. As I was cleaning them up yesterday, I saw eggs in the comb placed there by my strongest hive! Now, the temperatures that week had been in the upper 60s and 70s.
I guess this is a good demonstration of the effects of temperature and population on the queen's propensity to lay.
-- Kris
What exactly do you mean by a "miller" frame?
A frame with triangular pieces of foundation for the bees to draw out and put eggs in, to help in raising queens. I dunno if that's the actual name for it, but I've read that's the Miller method of queen rearing, so . . . . . :)
-- Kris
That would be the miller method. But often you just let them draw a frame and lay it and then cut the zig zag on it the bottom of the comb with the right aged larvae.
Micheal, do you cut the comb in a zig zag from the foundation and strip that comb off and leave the foundation?
I use a Jenter most of the time.
There are, apparently, a number of variations, inculding using foundation to start with.
http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/cellstarting.html
http://www.gobeekeeping.com/LL%20lesson_ten.htm
One can actually just tear down the lower side wall of the appropriately aged larvae.