Egss and no eggs

[Kris^]

The bees drew out the Miller frame I put in the hive last weekend just like the pictures I've seen.  I was kinda surprised they did it in 6 days, because the temperatures have been in the mid 40s to lower 50s all week (and overnight lows in the 20s).  No eggs in the comb yet, though.

I also found something weird.  When I removed the candy boards last week,  the colonies had begun building comb in the space left where the sugar had been eaten.  As I was cleaning them up yesterday, I saw eggs in the comb placed there by my strongest hive!  Now, the temperatures that week had been in the upper 60s and 70s.

I guess this is a good demonstration of the effects of temperature and population on the queen's propensity to lay.  

-- Kris

[Michael Bush]

What exactly do you mean by a "miller" frame?

[Kris^]

A frame with triangular pieces of foundation for the bees to draw out and put eggs in, to help in raising queens.  I dunno if that's the actual name for it, but I've read that's the Miller method of queen rearing, so . . . . .   :)

-- Kris

[Michael Bush]

That would be the miller method.  But often you just let them draw a frame and lay it and then cut the zig zag on it the bottom of the comb with the right aged larvae.

[Jack Parr]

Micheal, do you cut the comb in a zig zag  from the foundation and strip that comb off and leave the foundation?

[Michael Bush]

I use a Jenter most of the time.

There are, apparently, a number of variations, inculding using foundation to start with.

http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/cellstarting.html
http://www.gobeekeeping.com/LL%20lesson_ten.htm

One can actually just tear down the lower side wall of the appropriately aged larvae.