oops

[bill]

this is a sad story. I had a good nuke that was only three frames. I had read that too many frames made them slow to build up. but this nuc got to where there were so many bees flying that I was thinking I should put some more frames in. The trouble was that I didn't put a dummy board in.  I should have known better but it was always a very gentle hive and I thaoaught I could take the lid off and just quickly take the lid off and slip in a bunch of frames and stick it back on, so I didn't suit up or light a smoker. It was sprinkling rain but I thought it was not enough to bother anything. well I got everything to gether and put it in reach and lifted the top off. Well they came after me like I had hit the hive with a hammer a few times. so I ran. dropping the top of the hive, but before I left I stuck the other supper on top at the cost of quite a few stings it had a lid on it so I thought it would protect them at least from the rain. as soon as it wason halfway straight I ran away. I kept trying to go back but they woudn't let me. I thought they were all right so I just went back to discing.  Well the rain got harder so it was some time before I got back and figured out what happened. They had built a lot of comb attached to the lid. and I had dumped them with the lid top down and there was all this comb standing up with a lot of bees clustered on it all wet . I got another super and put the lid on it with the bees hanging down and a lot of chilled brood. so sad I imagine the queen was on it so I might have ruined the nuc but there are still a lot of bees in it so mabe they will recover. Now I know what a dummy board is for, but what a way to learn I just hope there was some young brood still in the original part of the nuc. I sure hope so.

[EOHenry]

Hope you learned from this experience!   :(   I have found that even tho what I am going to do might not be right, I try it anyway cause I'm in a hurry and then I find out thay I shouldn't have. Bees seem to know when we are in a hurry and don't like to be rushed or hustled. I make sure I have enuff time and the right time (conditions right) before I go into my hives.
Maybe another rookie BK will learn from this!  :)

EOHenry

[jefftck]

I've only been beekeeping for a couple months, I have read that never go into a hive without smoking first! LOL I did the same thing, just wanted to add more food in the feeder...... thought it wouldn't hurt since all I  was doing was taking off the lid,  :lol: to my suprize they showed me that what I read was TRUE!!! ouch!!! I also read that a beekeeper will only do this once! well speeking for myself I will never open a hive with out smoking first again

[Michael Bush]

>I had read that too many frames made them slow to build up.

I'm not sure I understand.  Frames have nothing to do with it.  Volume has everything to do with it.  The box is whatever size it is.  You ALWAYS fill ALL the space with frames.

> but this nuc got to where there were so many bees flying that I was thinking I should put some more frames in.

How do you put more frames in?  It holds so many (five, ten whatever).

>The trouble was that I didn't put a dummy board in.

So you left out frames and didn't use a follower?  I don't EVER leave out frames.  Not even for five minutes.  If I'm pulling a Jenter box or a frame of queen cells I put an empty frame in while I'm doing whatever I'm doing.  That way I don't forget and leave a space.

>It was sprinkling rain but I thought it was not enough to bother anything.

Sometimes when it's just cloudy they will be in a bad mood.  In a springkling rain it's almost a guarantee they will be in a bad mmod.

>well I got everything to gether and put it in reach and lifted the top off. Well they came after me like I had hit the hive with a hammer a few times.

Were there combs attached to the top?

>so I ran. dropping the top of the hive, but before I left I stuck the other supper on top at the cost of quite a few stings it had a lid on it so I thought it would protect them at least from the rain. as soon as it wason halfway straight I ran away. I kept trying to go back but they woudn't let me.

If they are protected from the rain you may as well wait until a sunny day to go back through things.  But if you have a full beesuit with a zip on veil it doesn't matter HOW many bees are trying to sting you as long as you get done in a few minutes and leave.  You shouldn't get stung at all if you don't dawdle.

> I thought they were all right so I just went back to discing. Well the rain got harder so it was some time before I got back and figured out what happened. They had built a lot of comb attached to the lid.

Which is why you NEVER leave an empty space in a hive.

>Now I know what a dummy board is for, but what a way to learn

Even WITH a follower board in, I would fill the excess space with FRAMES.  The bees will find a space big enough (1/6th of an inch will do) and get to the other side and start filling it with comb.  Too bad you did get the comb and cut it and tie it in frames at the time you pulled it.

I don't even HAVE a follower board.  I don't trust the bees not to find a way into the part partitioned off.  I just move them from one box to the next as they grow or add a box on top.  I have all medium depth and I have 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10 frame nucs.  ALWAYS fill them FULL of frames.  NEVER leave a space big enough for them to build a comb in without a frame in that space.  Once they are in a five or eight frame box I have boxes I can stack on top.

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