I bought 2 nucs last Thursday. They came with plastic frames. What is the quickest way to rotate them out of the brood nest with foundation less frames? I put empty frames between the plastic and they are starting to build comb but the queens have not laid in them. I did find both queens when I looked today.
There is not many quick ways in beekeeping. Let the hive grow till they get large enough to put the frames in the honey chamber then harvest the honey. Pack them away for emergency use later. d2
Keep moving the frames on the outer most positions. The queen may continue to lay in them but there is a good chance she won't.
Jim
Quote from: sawdstmakr on June 04, 2015, 06:39:52 AM
Keep moving the frames on the outer most positions. The queen may continue to lay in them but there is a good chance she won't.
Jim
What Jim says.. Each time you inspect, rotate the frame you want GONE toward an outer wall. By the time it gets there it should be getting close to being emptied. Once it is, it can be removed, and a new frame installed to either edge of the brood nest. IN the brood nest if it is Foundation-less.
Unless the plastic frames are in bad shape I'd keep using them. They are already drawn, no sense in wasting good comb that the bees are using.
Quote from: JConnolly on June 04, 2015, 08:27:38 PM
Unless the plastic frames are in bad shape I'd keep using them. They are already drawn, no sense in wasting good comb that the bees are using.
That is part of the problem. They are not completely drawn. They are building out the foundationless like crazy while leaving space of undrawn plastic. I saw a thing on queen rearing that recommended black plastic frames to make it easier to see when grafting. That seems reasonable but I am not having problems seeing eggs and larvae. I am also not grafting anyway.