Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: Jen on April 07, 2014, 12:42:13 pm
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Great News and Weird News! the great news is I did get into the first swarm hive yesterday evening, this is my mother queen, I Love Her! she sure keeps me on my toes.
Plenty of brood, eggs, larvae, bees are very content. No queen cells! lots of wonky comb
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs1.postimg.cc%2F63eyso8q3%2FDSCF9210.jpg&hash=f5d487f0e7c68e8ed880f570a3fbe9508fee6f3a) (http://postimg.cc/image/63eyso8q3/)
brood
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs28.postimg.cc%2Ffp6bj43o9%2FDSCF9207.jpg&hash=9935225b55ecf71a7dce71443b9c01012657ac0f) (http://postimg.cc/image/fp6bj43o9/)
eggs
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs18.postimg.cc%2Fj4y2w3wxh%2FDSCF9214.jpg&hash=87cf72c46a05f6e492b27344587b32a49b286a73) (http://postimg.cc/image/j4y2w3wxh/)
lots of larvae
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs29.postimg.cc%2Fp6e1p0uw3%2FDSCF9213.jpg&hash=079ba003e66a56069b60ed8d20a6a15c7c4ecdaf) (http://postimg.cc/image/p6e1p0uw3/)
Is This The Beginning Of A Queen Cup? Or Cell?
Now For The Weird News ~
It appears that the bees don't like the wires? They are chewing the wax out in squares, the squares are dropping to the bottom of the hive, BUT! they are waxing/fusing the squares onto another frame of wired wax... What the....???
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs22.postimg.cc%2Fpm49bss9p%2FDSCF9205.jpg&hash=f35ab617be2503f52c9aa5190671164a878e3ab8) (http://postimg.cc/image/pm49bss9p/)
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs14.postimg.cc%2Fq5r2yn09p%2FDSCF9206.jpg&hash=8ef2aac450fab09f365b80abf14a8e49f6281fd3) (http://postimg.cc/image/q5r2yn09p/)
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs10.postimg.cc%2Fvez23yh91%2FDSCF9203.jpg&hash=9efed0ca8db23a813901c8bdbf17ec0ec4b43af2) (http://postimg.cc/image/vez23yh91/)
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs27.postimg.cc%2F4637j5mvj%2FDSCF9216.jpg&hash=253353ac20fa3a96ab4ba2e8251165329f7663dd) (http://postimg.cc/image/4637j5mvj/)
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That's hilarious, they're like never mind you with your wired frames, we're gonna build how we want it! You got some crazy bees Jen ;)
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unfortunately that does look like a supersedure cell. don't know if that's the hive with the old queen in it or what. but that does look like a queen cell, and from its location on the face of the frame, that would be an emergency Queen cell, as opposed to the swarm cells that are usually located on the bottom third of the frame and usually there are quite a few of them as opposed to one, maybe two.
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Tell me about it Vosse! One thing Jen and her wonderlust bees are good at.. is keeping everyone in a constant state of confusion :D
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chewing on the foundation is not unusual, I find it usually occurs, when there's not much in the way of nectar coming in, the bees will strip foundation of Wax, and repurpose it somewhere else. can do yourself a favor for god sake, get new genetics in your hives, and if you can remember where you got those bees lol try to forget so you won't go back;D
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Nice photos. I like the tight brood pattern and the one of the eggs. I always figured my bees were hard up for natural resources when they started eating my foundation.
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Lol you or Jen may want to take a look and see if that queen cell has anything in it. if it does then your colony has other issues a failing old queen, something. I keep coming back to genetics. and just remember no matter how much work they gave you beekeeping is fun:-\???:o
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Barry- ""unfortunately that does look like a supersedure cell. don't know if that's the hive with the old queen in it or what.""
This cell is in the first swarm hive. I'm going into the mother hive this afternoon to see what the heck is going on. Should I go back into the swarm hive and pull that queen cell?
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Barry - ""can do yourself a favor for god sake, get new genetics in your hives,""
Cracks me up everytime you say 'for god sake'. You see I'm stuck between a rock here with hubby. He likes the fact that we have such prolific bees, but he's not taking into account that they are all in constant state of 'get the hot outa here!' He has put as much cash and building as I have tending the hives. I have to take his opinion into accont here.
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If the bees need resources could I put in a winter pattie? I am feeding them 1-1 syrup with a bit of hbh in it...
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everything depends on what you want these hives for... if these hives all generate honey for you this year, which frankly I doubt but if they do, you will have more honey than you possibly can know what to do with. it on the other hand you want the bees not for the generation of honey, but something neat to look at, but just want a fraction of the honey they are capable of producing then thats fine to but you risk swarm chasing.
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and of course you can feed them if they take it
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Seems I recall someone of notice speaking about how the old queen is not allowed to enter the promised land because they usually replace her once they are established. Often resulting in two queens in the hive for some amount of time.
Often by doing an AS we bypass that desire right along with their desire to swarm..
I'll have to pay more attention. Maybe start marking my queens to find out for myself.
I would say to leave it, but instead I am going to also say SLAP HUBBY.. or make a deal ;D get two or three queens ordered! Queens are less than the cost of a sheet of plywood.
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Often by doing an AS we bypass that desire right along with their desire to swarm..
Remind me please... what is AS Thanks :)
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Think you may have to up the ante and think in terms of hours not minutes, Jen :-*;D
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LOL...
and..
AS = Artificial Swarm... IE; Pulling the queen and some brood/bees to make a nuc and give the old hive a new queen.
As far as them making wonky comb... How much room do they have between frames? The frames up tight together and have foundation in them?
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jen, it is not about the foundation, or any foundation. bees will strip the wax from any foundation, and from beeswax foundation right to and around the wire, when there is little or no flow on, or when you have given them too much foundation to draw without feeding them 1:1 syrup. the best time to give them foundation and get them to draw it out, irregardless of the type of foundation is in the spring. feeding them 1:1 syrup will help them draw it out, so they are stripping it to use elsewhere. if you are feeding them and they are still stripping it, my guess is too much foundation all at once to draw. don't feed them winter patties. just keep 1:1 syrup on until all of the foundation is drawn.
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Riv- ""if you are feeding them and they are still stripping it, my guess is too much foundation all at once to draw. don't feed them winter patties. just keep 1:1 syrup on until all of the foundation is drawn.""
This makes a lot of sense! And Yes! I have been feeding them since the first swarm 1:1.
Thanks! ;) 8)
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Scott- "" As far as them making wonky comb... How much room do they have between frames? The frames up tight together and have foundation in them?""
Oooooh! bonk head, I forgot that part about frames up tight. I have them (10) spaced equally apart. And let's see.... leave them tight until they are drawn out, and then space them equally...
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Lol age is a number, is how old one chooses to be ...release the inner teenager lol:P
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Yeah so anyway... back to the bees :)
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No offense intended, sorry!
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None taken Barry :) just getting it back on track
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I can only assume there is a flow, and I also thought you said you were feeding.. so am not sue why they would be stripping unless there are not a lot of bees in a large space as Mrs River said. This is a situation where the follower board would probably help. Reduce their space a bit so they don't feel as overwhelmed. Keep frames spaced correctly and feed to help them make wax.
Do they have any drawn comb or are they on all new foundation?
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Well let's see... this last week I haven't detected a flow, not like when the bees are clamoring at the entrance in and out kind of flow. they're petty casual right now.
Scott - ""Reduce their space a bit so they don't feel as overwhelmed.""
You mean like take a couple or more of unused frames out and push the frames together toward the center?
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Jen I have a way out for you, give your hive to some one and let them deal with them and get a another one and start all over, I think you will be happy later on and not be in such a rush all the time.
Ken
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You mean like take a couple or more of unused frames out and push the frames together toward the center?
Nope. the space hasnt changed if you do that, in fact it will be more space instead of less....
http://outyard.weebly.com/follower-board.html
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Scott- Yes.. I remember discussing this this last winter. I like the idea! and from your link hubby will have a clean view of how to make one. Thanks! ;) 8)
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I remember the first time I put out my cappings for the bees to clean up. I did not know they would consume the wax as well (sometimes anyway). I had planned on making candles out of the remaining wax. >:( But, I figured they needed the wax more than I needed candles. ;)
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Jen I have a way out for you, give your hive to some one and let them deal with them and get a another one and start all over, I think you will be happy later on and not be in such a rush all the time.
Ken
Just make sure it's somebody you don't like. Maybe Iddee would like them. :laugh:
Ps. I've been in the southern comfort so don't pay me any mind!!!
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Jen I have a way out for you, give your hive to some one and let them deal with them and get a another one and start all over, I think you will be happy later on and not be in such a rush all the time.
Ken
Just make sure it's somebody you don't like. Maybe Iddee would like them. :laugh:
Ps. I've been in the southern comfort so don't pay me any mind!!!
LOL!! :laugh:
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The little woman says I get a little mouthy when I get in the so co. She could be onto sumthing!
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Well.. let me go get some Rum, we can yell at each other and not remember it tomorrow!
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I've gotta warn you though. I'm a friendly drunk!
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ermm... NO hugging!!
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I ain't that friendly!
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Okay Mr. Southern Comfort, I think Iddee's got his his heart in the right place with great intention! I like the man and he called me 'sweet thing' so that nailed it for me! If I give Iddee anything, it will be a kisshug patpatpat ;) 8)
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Well Jen
I'm just glad you like me!
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Of course I like you Woody, you haven't steared me wrong yet ;) 8)
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Give me time?