A simple and concise explanation of keeping bees by Jerry Freeman

[tecumseh]

this is about the best full description of beekeeping in it's most simple terms.  the author is the person who sells the freeman beetle trap..

http://freemanbeetletrap.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/HiveInspectionArticle2.33152129.pdf

also pdf file attached:

LEARNING HOW TO KEEP BEES/Hive Inspection
In today’s world of Beetles and Mites
by Jerry Freeman

[Jen]

Tec- this is great! I have a friend that has inquired about beekeeping. I'll just print this off for him.

[Lburou]

Thanks tec 

[Bakersdozen]

That is wonderful.  Thanks for posting, Tec.

[Jen]

Has anyone read this link yet? I've been reading it today. Printed it off with my handy yellow marker ready. This is page 7 of this link.

See Queen Cells?
Bees will build Queen cells to supercede (replace) an old or failing Queen. Bees will build
Queen cells in an emergency – maybe you killed her during the last inspection. Bees will build
Queen cells so they can swarm. Bees will usually build only a few supercedure or emergency
cells on the face of the comb. Swarm cells are usually built near the bottom of the combs and
may number over a dozen.

I Thought.... that the supercedure cells on the face of the comb were the swarm cells. That these were built in a hurry.

And the cells that run across the bottom of the frame were to replace a failing queen, and not so much in a hurry but to be prepared for when a new queen was needed?

[iddee]

Sorry, but you were backward.

Also notice the word usually in each sentence. It is not 100% guaranteed.

[Jen]

Mkay, Thanks!

[Jen]

I'm finding that this article is to mathmatical for me. Percentages, averages, nsuch. However, there is a lot of good information here for beginners. But if I were to give this to someone who is 'considering' beekeeping, it just might change their mind.

[tecumseh]

a snip....
I Thought.... that the supercedure cells on the face of the comb were the swarm cells. That these were built in a hurry.

tecumseh..
these rules should not be looked at as being written in stone.  Although swarms cells are generally made in great numbers and towards the bottom bars some will invariable also be produced on the the face of frames < swarm cell are typically located on the outside perimeter of the brood nest and if you think of the perimeter of a globe transposed as on square frames then it becomes quite evident that swarm cell may in fact be in any number of locations relative to the face of a frame. 

as far as I can tell (from what I have observed) with superscedure cells (if you exclude bee keeper induced superscedure cells) these typically occupy space on the face of frames towards the top of the brood nest and are generally few in number.  again none of these rules should be looked at as written in stone and certainly other clues are most important in deciding on the spot whether it is one or the other < for example condition of the existing queen, current brood pattern, honey cap and most definitely population and/or congestion of the brood nest.

[Springtide]

Thanks for this, I'm finding the temperature guidelines incredibly helpful, especially this time of year.

[LazyBkpr]

a snip....
I Thought.... that the supercedure cells on the face of the comb were the swarm cells. That these were built in a hurry.

tecumseh..
these rules should not be looked at as being written in stone.  Although swarms cells are generally made in great numbers and towards the bottom bars some will invariable also be produced on the the face of frames < swarm cell are typically located on the outside perimeter of the brood nest and if you think of the perimeter of a globe transposed as on square frames then it becomes quite evident that swarm cell may in fact be in any number of locations relative to the face of a frame. 

as far as I can tell (from what I have observed) with superscedure cells (if you exclude bee keeper induced superscedure cells) these typically occupy space on the face of frames towards the top of the brood nest and are generally few in number.  again none of these rules should be looked at as written in stone and certainly other clues are most important in deciding on the spot whether it is one or the other < for example condition of the existing queen, current brood pattern, honey cap and most definitely population and/or congestion of the brood nest.

   Agreed, and there is also the matter of availability to consider.. if there are not enough eggs/larvae in the lower cells that the bees find acceptable, then they WILL use eggs/larvae in other locations until they have satisfied their own desire to build the cells.

[Ray]

Thanks tec and thanks Mr. Freeman
This should be in ALL beginner bee books.
In my limited experience; anytime something's written in stone - it's an ERROR 

[brooksbeefarm]

And if it's written in stone, it's usually permanent. Jack 

[Barbarian]

Big GROAN .....

[ChiefBee]

Thanks for posting this.  I'm new at bee keeping and this was a huge help.

[efmesch]

Thanks for the link Tec.
It's a great inspection sheet.
It is easy enough in these days of computers and printers to make them at home.
To make them more likely to be used, I would suggest that the forms be stored in a plastic sleeve and kept under the telescoping roof, above the inner roof.  That way it is always there in the correct hive, ready to be reviewed and updated from one visit to the next.