Learning My Game Plan For This Season

[Jen]

This very early spring, my learning curve involves hive configuration, and 'Just what do I want from my bees?'

1st Question: If I want honey this year (more honey), then I need A Lot of bees in each hive, which is 3 hives. So that means I have to try and avoid swarming. Make sure to keep plenty of laying room for her majesty by putting on more mediums as needed, and don't neglect that aspect. And do no splits until the flows are over for the season? ..... right?

[Papakeith]

Not necessarily

.02 from a 3 year keep.

I think that your first statement is correct.  If you want honey you need bees.  Not just lots of bees but lots of foragers.  If a hive is getting congested you have two choices;  let them swarm or do something to prevent it/turn it to your advantage. 
That is where splits come into play as far as I'm concerned.
I'll split and let the split make a queen. then I'll give the established hive some new foundation.  Instant room and eases bee congestion.  The empty foundation will also give all those bees just hanging around with wax something to do with it. 

[barry42001]

Manipulation of brood chambers, and adding supers, to allow the bees to spread out and eaase congestion  and creating sufficient egg laying space and nectar storage for curing.

[Yankee11]

Also keep in mind, if you pulling "pulled frames" and adding foundation, you can't wait to late. That foundation still has to be drawn before the queen can lay. Took me a bit to realize that.

I'de think, OK, i am removing 3 or 4 frames of brood and giving them 3 or 4 frames of foundation. Now they have plenty of room- Swarm:-)

But, you are correct, have to keep them from swarming to get Honey to harvest.

[Yankee11]

Also pay attention to open nectar inside the brood chamber. If it is filling up with open nectar and brood, watch out.

[iddee]

Dang, I hate to type, but I guess I gotta.

First, 10 empty supers will not give her room if:

She is wedged between frames of pollen. If she is laying in 2 or 3 frames and the next frames out are full of pollen, she will not cross them. She will swarm.
She is laying in frames filled along the top half with honey, she will not cross that honey cap. She will swarm.
There are 9 frames above 10 frames, and the upper frames are closing the trail up between frames, she will not squeeze through, she will swarm.
She is getting older, or even if young, she is running low on sperm, she will swarm.
She must have contiguous laying area, with no blockades. She will not move and start another brood area.

Then there has to be plenty of expansion room for the other bees and stores.

[Jen]

Keith- "I'll split and let the split make a queen.

     Hi Keith, that's a new one on me so far. I have read to take the existing queen and move her to the new split. And then the original hive will make a new queen....... thinking..... or maybe that's a nuc.....scratching head

[Jen]

Iddee- "She must have contiguous laying area, with no blockades. She will not move and start another brood area. 

       OOOOOOooooow! okay that's a bit of good info. There should always be a continuous flow of brood, nothing blocking her laying.
 
        Thanks for typing Mr. Wizard 

[tefer2]

[Papakeith]

Keith- "I'll split and let the split make a queen.

     Hi Keith, that's a new one on me so far. I have read to take the existing queen and move her to the new split. And then the original hive will make a new queen....... thinking..... or maybe that's a nuc.....scratching head

here's why I left the old queen in the original colony.  If you are building up for a nectar flow you do not want a 6 week brood break.  Which, is just what you'll get if you move the queen to the nuc and let the colony requeen itself.  Nope, I learned that one the hard way.  I'll move some brood and let them requeen themselves and let the original queen keep right on building up.

[Jen]

Okay I see, that makes soo much sense, Thanks Keith! 

[Ray]

Here is a link to Splits, courtesy of M. Bush:

http://www.bushfarms.com/beessplits.htm

there is a split then recombination that might interest you.

[Papakeith]

I didn't mention that method because it requires pretty exact timing and a good amount of effort.  Is it effective? It sure sounds it, but I've got too many other jobs I barely get to to start mucking around with that level of bee wrangling.

[riverbee]

"1st Question: If I want honey this year (more honey), then I need A Lot of bees in each hive, which is 3 hives. So that means I have to try and avoid swarming. Make sure to keep plenty of laying room for her majesty by putting on more mediums as needed, and don't neglect that aspect. And do no splits until the flows are over for the season? ..... right?"

this is what i do jen, and also refer to what iddee said.  if i have an exceptionally strong hive, when my divides are done, i know which hives are the strong hives that will bring in the honey, so i do a light divide from those hives, just take out enough brood frames and bees to keep them from swarming and they typically produce a good honey crop, and i have done this usually before swarm season.

[Jen]

Riv- Okay so I would take out maybe two brood frames per hive... at the most?

[Dunkel]

I had one hive try to swarm last year because the queen was boxed into a corner in the upper left hand portion of a double deep hive.  In retrospect, I should have moved those frames to the lower center and inserted an empty.  Drawn frames are one of the most valuable items in a bee yard in April and May around here, or really anytime.  Actually makes finding a dead hive bearable any more.  Caution must be used or you will go from 25 to 45 hives saving swarm cells.

[riverbee]

"Riv- Okay so I would take out maybe two brood frames per hive... at the most?"

jen, this is a your judgement call on this, it depends on the strength of the hive. i typically remove 3 frames and bees to cover those frames from a booming hive. other hives that may be not so booming,  i may go through and remove two to make up nucs or divides with to keep them from swarming, or use frames to equalize the weaker colonies.  i used to divide  hives in half, a strong or 'hard' divide, sometimes i still do, but i sure like just taking enough from a hive to keep them from swarming, start a new colony, or a few, and get a honey reward from the stronger hives, and have bees to build up for the next year, and also add frames to a weaker colony to boost it.
hope this made sense?

[Jen]

Yes! It did makes sense. So I would say that my hives are one deep and very strong. So My assumption would be no more than two. But if I had strong double deeps or the equivalent in meds, then I can maybe take more. Thanks! 

[LazyBkpr]

"Riv- Okay so I would take out maybe two brood frames per hive... at the most?"

jen, this is a your judgement call on this, it depends on the strength of the hive. i typically remove 3 frames and bees to cover those frames from a booming hive. other hives that may be not so booming,  i may go through and remove two to make up nucs or divides with to keep them from swarming, or use frames to equalize the weaker colonies.  i used to divide  hives in half, a strong or 'hard' divide, sometimes i still do, but i sure like just taking enough from a hive to keep them from swarming, start a new colony, or a few, and get a honey reward from the stronger hives, and have bees to build up for the next year, and also add frames to a weaker colony to boost it.
hope this made sense?

   Well said Mrs. River.