Hive size

[dtwilliamson]

I started May 8th with a couple of 4 frame nucs. How big can I expect the hive to get before winter in a typical year? In one hive I have approximately 16 frames drawn and filled with either brood or honey at this point. Most of the frames are brood. I should add that they are all deep frames.


[This message has been edited by dtwilliamson (edited June 28, 2004).]

[bjerm2]

By winter they might be up to 60,000 individuals. In my area I use 3/4 dept suppers and I keep the hives in 3 of these so that they may have enough honey to go into winter with, and as an extra I make up some fontain, or be candy, for spring. This is just a precaution so that in spring if the weather is bad they have something to fall back on without stimulation the queen to lay as she would with sugar syrup.
Dan

[BULLSEYE BILL]

In this area, zone 6, I consider that packages, nucs, and swarms are just growing bees the first year. I expect a surplus the second year.

I really depends on your style on managment. I will take honey off of swarms the first year when I combine them with a stronger hive in the fall, but it will not be full supers, just a few frames. The BIG April swarms have a chance to make surplus the first year, but they are like starting a full size colony right off the bat with seven to nine pounds of bees.

[honeyman46408]

DT
I would put a super on if I were you the main flow is on now you can always leave it for winter feed if they dont finish it

[Michael Bush]

There is no typical year nor a typical hive. Some hives boom and some bust and some fizzle. There is no way to predict. Just keep giving them enough room to keep expanding and see where they go.

[dtwilliamson]

honeyman.....I was just thinking that.....I put my second deep on a week ago and they have already drawn out and begun filling 7 frames of it....they seem to have the pedal to the metal....

I guess I just wasn't expecting them to move so fast....must be bringing some good stuff in!

[This message has been edited by dtwilliamson (edited June 29, 2004).]

[bjerm2]

By all means supper some more. Your bees are bringing in honey hand over fist. Keep going. You'll be surprised how quickly they are going to fill the next box. You have a strong coloney there. http://www.beesource.com/ubb/smile.gif
Dan

[dtwilliamson]

Good thing I put a super on last night. I peeked in the 2nd deep to see what was happening and they had drawn the remaining frames and filled the majority. It was full of bees. They didn't have anymore room to expand. They drew out the deep and practically filled the whole thing in a 8 days. I certainly didn't expect them to do it so fast...

Thanks for all the info...