Honey Bound / Adding a New Queen

billdean · May 21, 2016, 11:26:51 AM

I installed the package of bees on May 2nd. As everyone has read on my previous post I had a virgin queen and I am in the process of replacing her. I took the virgin queen out yesterday morning.There is one frame of capped brood in this hive that I took from another hive trying to get the virgin queen to lay or stop laying workers.
This morning I introduced the new queen. Hopefully everything will go well. When I open up the hive this morning I was a little more aware of other things besides the queen. My observation was that the hive seemed to be full of honey/syrup. None of it capped but never the less full of honey and pollen. There were about 6 1/2 frames drawn out in a 8 frame medium box. The question I have is when I let the queen lose in the next couple of days she will have little room to lay. Would I add a new hive body before I release her? I could take the only frame of capped brood and move it up to the new hive body along with a couple of frames of honey. Would this be to early to do this do to the fact the new queen has not been proven to lay yet?

Psparr · May 21, 2016, 11:29:01 AM

They should make room for her.

sc-bee · May 22, 2016, 02:56:15 AM

Move the honey up and leave the brood frame down. You can start by adding two foundation frames on each side of the brood frames. As they pull out the frames next to the brood (or up top) move more honey up and new frames of foundation and drawn comb down. Do this until you are satisfied with the space the queen has below. Keeping the foundation between full frames in the brood chamber either brood or honey will help them draw it out consistent in thickness.

E-E-E-H-H-E-E-E
H-H-H- E-B-E-H-H

cao · May 22, 2016, 10:34:21 AM

I agree with Psparr. She has the one brood frame to start with. As long as they have not totally filled that frame with nectar the you are good. When she starts laying the will use and/or move the nectar to give her more room. I would probably wait on adding another box until her brood starts hatching(3-4 weeks). You could move one of the empty outside frames next to the brood frame to encourage them to draw it out for the queen to lay in.

sc-bee · May 22, 2016, 06:59:16 PM

Quote from: cao on May 22, 2016, 10:34:21 AM
I agree with Psparr. She has the one brood frame to start with. As long as they have not totally filled that frame with nectar the you are good. When she starts laying the will use and/or move the nectar to give her more room. I would probably wait on adding another box until her brood starts hatching(3-4 weeks). You could move one of the empty outside frames next to the brood frame to encourage them to draw it out for the queen to lay in.

>my observation was that the hive seemed to be full of honey/syrup. None of it capped but never the less full of honey and pollen.<

cao----Move what empty frame??? Did I read it wrong?

cao · May 22, 2016, 11:23:52 PM

You said you had 6 1/2 frames in a 8 frame box drawn out. That leaves one of the outside frames not drawn or drawn very little. If it hasn't been drawn yet then it is not full of nectar. If you put it next to the frame that has the brood, they will draw it out giving the queen freshly drawn comb to lay in.

sc-bee · May 22, 2016, 11:42:17 PM

Quote from: cao on May 22, 2016, 11:23:52 PM
You said you had 6 1/2 frames in a 8 frame box drawn out. That leaves one of the outside frames not drawn or drawn very little. If it hasn't been drawn yet then it is not full of nectar. If you put it next to the frame that has the brood, they will draw it out giving the queen freshly drawn comb to lay in.

You are correct I missed the 6 1/2 drawn out... my apologies... just move the undrawn next to the outside of the brood frame. But don't get behind on giving the queen space.