From: "deelusbybeekeeper" <deelusbybeekeeper@excelonline.com>
Date: Wed, 16 May 2001 20:57:24 -0700
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: Strain

Hi to all on Biological Beekeeping

Lee Wrote:

> My question, I guess, was - if a hive is on 5.2 or greater and a box of 4.9
> is placeds on top of this brood chamber would the bees draw out the 4.9?

Reply:

Yes, but not right. Wax drawing out urge is to bigger size as the active
season progresses, with the exception of bees that have swarmed and are
captured and restarted, until the urge for smaller begins again in the fall
changing bees over from summer to winter bees. You can only draw out right
between two good frames of right sized comb in the broodnest that is layed
up.Have startter frames with drawing out started put into a 4.9mm super of
foundation above a 4.9mm super of brood.

John has a good point though, as when we pull up brood into the third box to
uncongest and keep the queen from hankering down, we open up the center four
with two frames of brood and two wets for the queen to immediately lay in.
In the space below were the two frames of brood were pulled from i.e. the
second super or possibly the first, I place new foundation to be drawn out.
It is lower in placement and brood and queen is hankered down to the lower
supers, but we keep opening up until main flow time and then keep opening to
keep brood coming for making bees for honey production (also pollen when
trapping in years past).

John might not have too bad a shot at getting the bees to draw 4.9 when the
bees are forcing down the colony. Shall be interesting to see how he does.

Dee.