Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => Beekeeping 101 => Topic started by: tedh on April 17, 2015, 07:17:35 pm
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Hi Everyone,
Walking around a bit I see that the pear trees are blooming, the apples are about to, the wild plums are in bloom as well as the Redbud trees. I'm wondering if it would be a good thing to go ahead and put a medium honey super with undrawn plastic foundation on my hive. I did just requeen this week. I checked tonight and the queen has been released so I removed the queen cage and put the missing frame back in. I didn't check any further than that so can't say if she has been accepted or not. I also don't have any idea when our nectar flow starts, or stops for that matter. What are your thoughts? Thanks, Ted
I should add that I intend to move this hive next weekend.
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Need more information. How long was the hive queenless? Is it a split? How many hive bodies? Generally if you have a hive 70% full it's time to add another box.
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The hive in question is made up of two deeps that was started last spring and made it through the winter. Last weekend I found 4 or 5 queen cells so I made a split, 2 frames of stores, 2 frames of brood, an extra shake of bees, 1 frame undrawn plastic foundation plus the original queen. The next day (Sunday) I removed the queen cells from the over wintered hive. The following day (Monday) I installed the new queen cage. Tuesday I removed the cork. Checked today and the queen is loose. I believe you mean 70% full of bees? If so, I'd say it's close. Thanks Ray! Ted
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Yep.. If you intend to move the hive I might wait until I had it where it was going to settle permanently then drop an undrawn super on it. I already have production hives storing nectar in the supers.. three to four frames ready to cap in most of the stronger ones.
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I'd go with LazyBkpr.
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If they are running out of room, you could pull some drawn comb & give them bare frames. The drawn comb would then make good "bait comb" for when you add another super/hive body after you have them moved.