Author Topic: Bonehead with bees (no offense tbone) (Read 20588 times)

tedh · « **on:** May 21, 2014, 06:14:22 pm »

Hi Everyone,
In my defense, I have been doing searches, but I can't seem to find the answers to a couple of questions. My hive is brand new, brand new plasticell foundation, and brand new bees (installed last Friday night), in other words the bees are starting from almost scratch. The queen was released Sunday night. I'm wondering if anyone can give me a ball park time on when I might expect her to be laying. The bees are drawing wax on the center two frames but I'm not sure how many cells are needed for queen to lay. We opened Josh's hive last evening and they are storing pollen and syrup but no brood cells that we could see. Any ideas when we might expect some egg/brood cells?

Also my hive is in direct sun from sunup until about 6:00 PM. The only opening on the hive is the front door and I've noticed there are usually a few bees in the afternoon fanning the entrance. Are the bees telling me they need a little more ventilation? Should I just take a chill pill and be patient? Thanks, Ted

iddee · « **Reply #1 on:** May 21, 2014, 06:34:16 pm »

You should be able to see brood Sunday or Monday.
It is probably there now as eggs.
Ventilation is fine. They are reducing the water in the nectar.
Yes, chill, new papa, all is well.

tbonekel · « **Reply #2 on:** May 21, 2014, 07:14:04 pm »

Hey no offense taken. I think it kind of depends on if there is a heavy flow or not. Are you feeding?

tedh · « **Reply #3 on:** May 21, 2014, 07:40:10 pm »

Yes, we're using 1:1 sugar water and pollen patties. Ted

blueblood · « **Reply #4 on:** May 21, 2014, 07:48:18 pm »

I have noticed this past week that my 3 recent swarms, while given fully drawn comb to start with, commenced to nectar collection first. And yours, still need to draw the comb. So, they may take a few days like Iddee said.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #5 on:** May 21, 2014, 10:50:25 pm »

I cant add too much to that.. If you look at the comb they are making, and the cells seem to be all filled with nectar or the syrup you are feeding, let them empty the jar and wait two or three days to give them another jar. let them use a bit of what they have stored and give the queen more laying room.
New packages can be gluttons. If you give them a gallon they will take a gallon, and put it in every cell they have. Make sure they get what they need, but try to keep them from plugging out the new comb. The packages I installed from Tim have 4 drawn combs. I gave them two quarts each, they took it all in two days. I left the jars empty until this afternoon and gave them another quart each. I will check them on Saturday to see if they are using it all or storing some of it. Still a fair flow going on. If they are using most of it I will continue to give them more. If I find most of it stored in the combs I will stop and make them use it before I give them more.

iddee · « **Reply #6 on:** May 21, 2014, 11:03:27 pm »

Rather than flood and famine, I think tecumseh recommends putting about 3 small holes in the lid of the jar to keep a slow steady flow into the hive. Enough the feed them, but not enough to store much if any. He calls it trickle feeding.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #7 on:** May 21, 2014, 11:09:17 pm »

That may actually help.......
I have a few commercial lids with about 20 TINY holes in them.. My lids have 4 to 5 holes that are slightly larger... I will go steel some lids from my wife and try with three holes. Like the idea so much I may do only two holes.. want them to have the syrup but dont want them storing much of it. Thanks for the tip Iddee!

tedh · « **Reply #8 on:** May 22, 2014, 12:31:35 pm »

Okay. So here's my plan. I'll remove the 4 quart jars with factory lids (as Lazy said they have about 20 holes in them) and replace with one quart jar and canning lid with 3 tiny holes (made with a thumb tack). Sound okay? Also I noticed a few tiny ants on the hive's front porch. Is that a problem? Thank you all for the input.

"I've decided that one of the problems with trying to do something that I know nothing about is that I don't even know what questions to ask". He says, as he hangs his head. Ted

tedh · « **Reply #9 on:** May 22, 2014, 12:47:32 pm »

Oh yeah, and I'll sit patiently and wait until Monday to check for brood cells. Ted

iddee · « **Reply #10 on:** May 22, 2014, 02:12:41 pm »

Ants aren't a problem until they number in the hundreds.

riverbee · « **Reply #11 on:** May 22, 2014, 09:05:17 pm »

"I've decided that one of the problems with trying to do something that I know nothing about is that I don't even know what questions to ask". He says, as he hangs his head. Ted"

..............

doesn't matter ted, just fire away, and ramble, but while you are rambling, maybe give us a clue or two most of us are pretty good at figuring out what you are talking about, and if we don't, well we just ask more questions!........

tecumseh · « **Reply #12 on:** May 23, 2014, 05:49:28 am »

I almost always use those very small nails you use to build frames with for punching the holes in the lid. 3 to 5 seems like a good number to me.

tedh · « **Reply #13 on:** May 27, 2014, 10:56:25 am »

Hi Everyone,
Well, Iddee, you hit the nail right on the head! We checked our hives last evening and there they were, capped brood! Yes, capped brood and MANY cells of larva/ pupa and capped syrup! How cool is that? We're both SO excited! Again, I have this "Look at what we did!" feeling. I'm beginning to think that beekeeping is like gardening. Both the seeds and the bees know what to do, and we as gardeners/beekeepers merely provide an environment for them to do what it is that they do. But still, "Lookit what we did!" Wayyyyy cool! Ted

Garden Hive · « **Reply #14 on:** May 27, 2014, 11:48:11 am »

Good to see the excitement !!!

Great to hear their working for you.
Now be patient while they grow. Will be nice to see the increased excitement when you get your first taste of the "crop"

Then the addiction grows

tedh · « **Reply #15 on:** May 27, 2014, 07:56:53 pm »

Thanks Garden. Patience, yes, I need to hurry up and get some patience!

Ted

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #16 on:** May 29, 2014, 12:07:25 am »

Good deal!!
Taking credit for what your bees do? Take credit where credit is due!
I don't think there are many beekeepers who were not excited when they saw their fist bees doing well.

Hope to see you guys this weekend. Be ready to look at bees. 20 + new hives to go through. Packages, nucs, cut outs and splits to look at. Two or three were making queens and they should be laying by now. Last one to see the newest queen has to grill the burgers.

tedh · « **Reply #17 on:** May 29, 2014, 03:34:33 pm »

LazyBkpr: Didn't expect you to feed us too! But if you really want to

. What can we bring to the table? Looking forward to Saturday! Ted

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #18 on:** May 29, 2014, 04:04:47 pm »

Whatever you want to drink!!

riverbee · « **Reply #19 on:** May 30, 2014, 01:32:17 am »

and i hope you two will have pix to share?!