The bees seem VERY happy. This is my first hive, and they have hit the ground running. Quickly filling the small brooder and have now laid comb in almost the entire deep frame box above it. (Sorry, still learning which terms to use)
I dont want to add the next box to soon but they aren't filling in the frames yet, just laying comb. Will they continue to want to lay comb on more frames, or will they stay filling in the frames now that they have laid them?
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Quote from: lilprincess on July 07, 2016, 10:27:57 AM
Will they continue to want to lay comb on more frames, or will they stay filling in the frames now that they have laid them?
I assume by lay comb you mean they are raising brood and filling the frames you mean storing nectar/honey. As a general rule of thumb, if they have drawn comb and have bees covering 70-80% of the box then you can add another box. The queen will lay eggs and they will raise bees in as much area as the bees decide they want. They will only store and cap honey when the have a surplus that they don't need to raise the brood.
They are drawing comb but not putting anything in it. So I have a 10 frame deep super (?), full of empty comb.
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I am wondering if they got robbed? Seems odd they have comb with no stores. Usually they fill as they draw. Are you in a dearth now?
They are drawing comb but not putting anything in it
My money's on robbing or they've swarmed. I don't think they draw comb just for the heck of it - like we want them to:)
A robbed hive would not be a happy hive. Not enough background to call this one. I would say it is unusual for the bees to draw comb and not use it. Was there feeding involved? Maybe the comb was used for honey and now they needed it. I would temporarily pull out a couple of frames in the center and replace with foundation to see what they do with it before I put another box on.
It's a brand new package of bees I received in April. The hive is very alive and I've seen no sign of robbers. I'll check it again today to see what they are doing. What is a dearth?
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A dearth is when there is no nectar in the field.
Are you feeding them?
What do you mean by the small brooder box? How large is it?
Jim
Just took another look at them. They have almost completely filled the large box with pollen and honey! (The bottom box is 6", the large in 10. ) they did this in two weeks. I'm not feeding them. Just letting them be in a field of wildflowers.(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160708/1daa6ed6c8422f9a0ce886c5ae446384.jpg)
When I looked in the small bottom box, I saw few drones but lots of what I think are drone cells. I didn't see the queen but I saw eggs and larva of various sizes. So, are these drone cells on the bottom?
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160708/cc0b9d85758029caaaefc2f757c62d47.jpg)
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Add another super.
Yes they look like smashed drone cells. They probably got smashed when you removed the frame. That and all that brood is a good sign of healthy hive.
Jim
Looks great. Yes those are drones.
The large box looks like capped brood and honey to me. No open larvae and pollen.
Ace. Not to pick, but from that angle I doubt you could see brood or pollen.
Quote from: sawdstmakr on July 08, 2016, 05:08:52 PM
Add another super.
Yes they look like smashed drone cells. They probably got smashed when you removed the frame. That and all that brood is a good sign of healthy hive.
Jim
That second pic looks like they might be backfilling brood cells w nectar. I would give them another box. That snowy fresh capping looks so pretty!
Quote from: Psparr on July 08, 2016, 06:57:18 PM
Ace. Not to pick, but from that angle I doubt you could see brood or pollen.
Actually when I click on the photo it magnifies and I do see open brood around the capped brood.
Quote from: Acebird on July 09, 2016, 10:28:47 AM
Quote from: Psparr on July 08, 2016, 06:57:18 PM
Ace. Not to pick, but from that angle I doubt you could see brood or pollen.
Actually when I click on the photo it magnifies and I do see open brood around the capped brood.
You've got better eyes than me.
lilprincess, When you remove frames look for bridges between the frames. The top frame has evidence suggesting it was rubbed against something as it came out. I'll cut them from the frame that I'm leaving in there and use them as a gage when I put the frames back together. Could have been ugly if the queen was in that area.