Another Brood Frame Question w/ Photos

Started by SarahM, May 23, 2011, 07:39:16 PM

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SarahM

May 23, 2011, 07:39:16 PM
Things have really changed in the hive since the second inspection, though there are still about three and a half frames left to draw out so we haven't added the second hive body yet.

During this inspection, we photographed each side of each frame so I could go back and study them and try to see and understand all that is taking place. The furthest advanced frame, I would like your all's thoughts on . . . and one of my main questions is in the uncapped cells in the middle of capped brood, what would be the liquidy looking substance in them? (This can be seen in the close-up photo of the frame.) Any and all thoughts on this frame would be appreciated! Thanks in advance. =)


Side 1 of frame


Side 1 of frame close-up


Side 2 of frame


Side 2 of frame close-up

The Bix

#1
May 23, 2011, 07:47:42 PM Last Edit: May 23, 2011, 08:12:48 PM by The Bix
Looks to me like they're back-filling those emerged cells with nectar.  Nothing to worry about.

However, last year I waited for the girls to finish drawing comb on all 10 frames before adding another box.  The bees backfilled all of the emerged cells with nectar and the hive swarmed because the queen had nowhere to lay.  Your frame is very far from that point, but it's not out of the question shortly down the road if there is a strong nectar flow.

I'm not the most experienced person here, not even close actually, but my advice would be to stay on top of them, make sure the queen doesn't get locked in by nectar/honey.  You can do this by moving frames of nectar/honey towards the outside and giving the bees frames with drawn comb or even empty frames.

AllenF

#2
May 23, 2011, 08:27:42 PM
Great shots there.   Looks like your bees are doing very well.

Tommyt

#3
May 23, 2011, 08:55:23 PM
Nice pictures
on picture "Side 2 of frame"
The lower right side looks to be
Capped Honey which when in hive
would be up top of frame right
where it should be
all your frames look good
wish I had a couple 100
that looked just like them  :-D
I think your on your way to a good colony


Tommyt
"Not everything found on the internet is accurate"
Abraham Lincoln

schawee

#4
May 23, 2011, 09:13:19 PM
i would put another box on now.don't wait till they draw out all ten frames.they are backfilling cells the queen needs to use to lay her eggs in and could trigger the hive to go into a swarm mode.you can open up the bottom brood box by taking some frames of  cap brood and put in your top box and put empty frames in the bottom brood box.     ...schawee
BEEKEEPER OF THE SWAMP

hardwood

#5
May 23, 2011, 09:13:51 PM
Looks good so far! I would recommend putting that second box on them as to avoid a "honey bound" situation. If all you have is foundation (not drawn comb) move a couple of frames from the lower box to the upper to entice the bees up and replace with foundation towards the sides of the lower box. Keep the frames you move up toward the center.

Scott
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

hardwood

#6
May 23, 2011, 09:15:23 PM
Yeah, what schawee said!...we posted at the same time.

Scott
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

iddee

#7
May 23, 2011, 10:56:45 PM
I would say checkerboard the frames that are in there now and wait a week before adding the next box. If you put it on now, they will build straight up the middle and not finish the outer frames.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Shanevrr

#8
May 23, 2011, 11:04:28 PM
Quote from: iddee on May 23, 2011, 10:56:45 PM
I would say checkerboard the frames that are in there now and wait a week before adding the next box. If you put it on now, they will build straight up the middle and not finish the outer frames.

yes thats what happened to me, so i moved some frames around

Nice pics sarah ;)
www.Valleybeesupply.com
"A responsible beekeeper is a successful one"
Shane C.

SarahM

#9
May 24, 2011, 06:32:41 PM
Thank you all so much for all of the helpful advice and the encouragement as well! I was thinking that the cells were being backfilled, but I wasn't for sure. So thanks for answering that question. =)

I really appreciated all of the advice shared about adding the second hive body and manipulating frames. Since the first hive body only had about 60% of drawn comb, I was waiting to add the second hive body until they had more foundation drawn out . . . but after reading your all's responses, I realized that I needed to do something! So this morning for starters, I moved two outside frames that were only foundation (one from each side) inwards and there are now frames of drawn comb with nectar/pollen on the outside of each them. I'll check the hive again in a few days and plan to put on the second hive body then. The bees seem to be drawing out foundation pretty quickly right now, so I am hoping that in that amount of time they'll draw out foundation on the two frames that I moved inward (giving the queen a little more room to lay) and then be all ready to go to work in the second hive body. So that's where the hive is right now!

Once again, I really appreciated all of the advice. It was a help!
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