Left to right top to bottom full

[devdog108]

Hey all, today is day 16 for me installing my 3 lb. package. Thanks to you guys, those little white specs that i thought was dirt, turned out to be baby bees(i now know what to look for). I just pulled my outermost frame teaching a neighbor about bees and it is SLAPPED FULL OF BROOD. I am not sure what a good brood pattern is, but it looks like almost every open slot has larvae in it, not the little specs. I did not pull the other frames as he was a little timid, but let me assure you, that was a lot of Larvae. I'm gonna be a daddy.....again......lolol. Girls this time.

[alpha6]

I don't know if you have a second hive body on that hive but if you don't you better get one on ASAP. Having brood all the way to the outer frames means they are really pushing for room, meaning they are getting crowded. Usually the outer frames are filled with honey and pollen. Glad they are doing well, but stay on top of them...it would be a shame if they swarmed on you because they are getting too crowded.

[devdog108]

maybe I miststated. They still ahve 4 more frames to go, 2 more to go per side untouched, I just pulled the outermost that had comb on it....sorry for the confusion typically you add another hive body on when they get 8 frames drawn correct?

[alpha6]

Sorry for reading that wrong. Yeah, you can add it when they have 8 filled. A good way to go is to pull the outer two frames that have brood and place these in the center of the second hive body. Replace those two with un-drawn or drawn frames if you have them. This forces the bees into the second hive body and helps to get them drawing out those frames faster. Remember to feed if no flow is on as they need lots of nectar or sugar water to pull out comb.

Good luck...sounds like you are doing things right so far.

[devdog108]

I've gone through about 35 lbs of sugar since they started pulling comb...lolollol.

[habutti]

I would start checkerboarding the remaining frames to get them to draw them quicker; and of course keep the feeder full at all times. A good practice when installing packages is to provide Fumagilin-B with some Pro Health or Honey-Bee-Healthy. I like to have my packages at least in 2 deeps to overwinter.

[devdog108]

Do you mean pull in the empties and move some of the others toward the outside?

[habutti]

Do you mean pull in the empties and move some of the others toward the outside?
Yes, if the foundation frames are on the outside, swap positions with a drawn frame, this will help speed up the process.

[devdog108]

sweet, will do that tomorrow....time to reload the sugar anyway...lol