1st Inspection

JordanM · May 24, 2008, 05:14:44 PM

I just got in from doing my second inspection. Everything looks good the brood pattern is good and i dont see the double egg laying that i saw when i took the queen cage out. They have not got the midddle frame filled to the bottom yet but they are close. They are about 3 frames in from the edge strating frames on the foundationless frames. I took the sugar water off because they have not been using it and theyve been building up quick.

Now the bad news i found the queen on the frame next to the center one, she is marked with a white dot on her back and she is a new queen so evidentaly the supplier does not follow the date with the color system. So where was i. I was tipping the frame sideways to get a btter look and the hole comb fell on the ground. I frantically looked for her and did not see a group of bees anywhere around her. But i kept looking thinking that she flew to a nearby tree and there she was right on the front entrance so i scooted her in and alls well.

Now a question i put the comb that fell off on the landing board will the workers come and take the nectar out of it and reuse it along with the pollen and what willl happen to the babys?

doak · May 24, 2008, 05:36:23 PM

Don't worry about the brood that was in the comb, nothing you can do, unless you can take a quick fishing trip.
doak

JP · May 24, 2008, 08:00:44 PM

They'll utilize the honey and pollen but the brood are history, fish bait like doak says.

...JP

JordanM · May 24, 2008, 08:30:04 PM

Ya, the main thing i was worried about was getting that queen back in the hive!!!!! I'll chaeck back in a week.

Michael Bush · May 24, 2008, 09:30:26 PM

Anytime a comb falls, I tie it in the frame and put it back...

And, of course, don't turn combs sideways...

This seems easier for newbies to get than experienced beekeepers, you'll probably not make that mistake again anytime soon.

JordanM · May 25, 2008, 09:31:06 AM

Nope, you got to learn from your mistakes.

Michael Bush · May 25, 2008, 11:29:30 AM

For experienced beekeepers who have not had top bar hives or foundationless frames, turning frames sideways and shaking bees off of frames is a habit that they have to learn to think about. You can still do these things, but only if the combs are well attached and not too new. Experienced beekeepers will make those mistakes more than a few times before they relearn their habits... :)