Sorry, I am a newbie... this is my father in law's boxes. The bees are building comb with honey on the top of the frames every 4 to 5 days . Why are they doing this and how do you fix the problem?
Too much space between the frames and the lid, or the frames above, as the case may be. The space should not exceed 3/8 inch.
OR
All boxes are packed and they have no other place to put it.
Thanks for the quick response. I will get him to check the depth but they do have one frame empty, so they still have room. This is a new colony, one box for now, nothing stacked on top.thanks
If only one empty frame left, it is time to add a second box.
Quote from: iddee on January 01, 2017, 10:37:10 PM
If only one empty frame left, it is time to add a second box.
OK thanks I will tell him to add a box with new frames tomorrow!
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Im a newbee... no real knowledge, so please correct me if im wrong, im learning too.
I see it it as they dont have enough space. The bottom box should be brood in a circular shape within the frames then with honey on the sides... you say theres an empty frame... but you dodnt say where the empty frame is... depending where its at in the box it may need to be switch with another frame in that box to promote growth.
Then another box on top seems like a good idea pretty soon to encourage growth as the queen like to build brood and lay upwards. This would encourage building the colony bigger.
After the second box is built up and strong id assume then to add a queen excluder and honey super for excess honey building.
However i have seen people only use one hive body, then ass queen excluders and supers on the top for honey the first year... however i tend to disagree with that and help the colony grow bigger and strong firat before worryimg about excess honey to harvest...
Just my two cents, but by all means i could be way off..
Quote from: Sniper338 on January 02, 2017, 12:19:42 AM
Im a newbee... no real knowledge, so please correct me if im wrong, im learning too.
I see it it as they dont have enough space. The bottom box should be brood in a circular shape within the frames then with honey on the sides... you say theres an empty frame... but you dodnt say where the empty frame is... depending where its at in the box it may need to be switch with another frame in that box to promote growth.
Then another box on top seems like a good idea pretty soon to encourage growth as the queen like to build brood and lay upwards. This would encourage building the colony bigger.
After the second box is built up and strong id assume then to add a queen excluder and honey super for excess honey building.
However i have seen people only use one hive body, then ass queen excluders and supers on the top for honey the first year... however i tend to disagree with that and help the colony grow bigger and strong firat before worryimg about excess honey to harvest...
Just my two cents, but by all means i could be way off..
The bottom box should be brood in a circular shape within the frames then with honey on the sides...Don't get caught up with the pictures you see..... they will do what they want. May not be any honey on the side or top...
you say theres an empty frame... but you dodnt say where the empty frame is... depending where its at in the box it may need to be switch with another frame in that box to promote growth.Yep if it is on the outside move it next to the outside brood frame
After the second box is built up and strong id assume then to add a queen excluder and honey super for excess honey building.Excluder... What the heck is that :wink:
Tysbees... are you feeding this colony... if so look like you may have them close to swarm mode. You can overfeed and cause a swarm or cause the hive to be honey bound with no place for the queen to lay.
Quote from: sc-bee on January 02, 2017, 12:35:26 AM
Quote from: Sniper338 on January 02, 2017, 12:19:42 AM
Im a newbee... no real knowledge, so please correct me if im wrong, im learning too.
I see it it as they dont have enough space. The bottom box should be brood in a circular shape within the frames then with honey on the sides... you say theres an empty frame... but you dodnt say where the empty frame is... depending where its at in the box it may need to be switch with another frame in that box to promote growth.
Then another box on top seems like a good idea pretty soon to encourage growth as the queen like to build brood and lay upwards. This would encourage building the colony bigger.
After the second box is built up and strong id assume then to add a queen excluder and honey super for excess honey building.
However i have seen people only use one hive body, then ass queen excluders and supers on the top for honey the first year... however i tend to disagree with that and help the colony grow bigger and strong firat before worryimg about excess honey to harvest...
Just my two cents, but by all means i could be way off..
The bottom box should be brood in a circular shape within the frames then with honey on the sides...
Don't get caught up with the pictures you see..... they will do what they want. May not be any honey on the side or top...
you say theres an empty frame... but you dodnt say where the empty frame is... depending where its at in the box it may need to be switch with another frame in that box to promote growth.
Yep if it is on the outside move it next to the outside brood frame
After the second box is built up and strong id assume then to add a queen excluder and honey super for excess honey building.
Excluder... What the heck is that :wink:
Tysbees... are you feeding this colony... if so look like you may have them close to swarm mode. You can overfeed and cause a swarm or cause the hive to be honey bound with no place for the queen to lay.
Yes, the frame that is empty is on the outside. And the bees are for my father in law and yes he feeds them, the feeders are always full since it is winter.
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The first five frames from the left look full. Was this the first five of a nuc. The next three look empty or not as full. Are they, right three frames, full of honey and capped. How much is undrawn foundation are the frames completely drawn. You can feed bees all you want and add room (foundation) but if they have no wax drawing capabilities they can not draw the foundation to store the feed. It all depends on how full those three right side frames are but it looks more like a bee space issue from the picture, if the right frames are empty and drawn out.
I don't deal with it. I just put the lid back on when I'm done.
Quote from: sc-bee on January 02, 2017, 12:52:37 AM
The first five frames from the left look full. Was this the first five of a nuc. The next three look empty or not as full. Are they, right three frames, full of honey and capped. How much is undrawn foundation are the frames completely drawn. You can feed bees all you want and add room (foundation) but if they have no wax drawing capabilities they can not draw the foundation to store the feed. It all depends on how full those three right side frames are but it looks more like a bee space issue from the picture, if the right frames are empty and drawn out.
Yes, the first five are from a nuc and I haven't looked at them myself to tell you what the others look like. He sent the picture to me. He was having problems joining this forum and I was already signed up so I posted it for him. Thanks for the help. I will look at it with him when all the rain finally stops .
That nuc looks pretty full with burr comb between some of the wood frames along with the burr comb on top of the two black plastic frames. I would think about adding another super if there are a lot of bees.
You will always get burr comb when equipment gets mixed up in a hive which is what looks like is happening with that hive. You have black and white plastic frames along with some wooden ones.
Find a supplier you like and order what you need from them, don't mix and match it will come back to bite you in the end. Don't get too upset about the burr comb it will happen.
I agree with Michael, what's the problem.
We run 40mm, inch and a half space to the lids, no hive mat. When they run out of room the fill the space and this becomes an insurance policy for when things run a bit short between flowerings.
The lid is always empty at the end of winter.
Yes that was the problem too much space found inner cover upside down giving it to much cleaners
thanks for all the help guys this is a great site!