When to add second deep?

[Gene Weitzel]

Hi all

One of my Russian packages is really expanding. I started this hive with 11 frames, one foundationless frame in the center and 5 sc starter strip frames on each side (housel positioned). They have been hived for 3 weeks. Yesterday, when I inspected them, they had drawn comb perfectly spaced on all 11 frames. 9 of the 11 frames were fully drawn across the top and most of them were drawn about 50% of the way to the bottom of the frame a few were a little further but none had reached the bottom bar. All nine frames were loaded with open and capped brood in the center and surrounded with about 1" of honey and pollen. The last two frames were drawn about 1/3 the way across the top and about 4" down and were mostly new comb with some honey and pollen.

Is this hive ready for a second deep or should I wait for them to draw the frames out a little more?

[Neubee]

Sounds like they are ready for a second deep. Thats great that they have done so well in just three weeks.

Neubee

[Gene Weitzel]

Newbee

I bought two Russian packages this year. The other package is doing well but still has about 4 frames that they have not started to draw on.

When I started these packages, I hung the queen cage on the center foundationless frame. I went back to be sure she had been released after 3 days, and both packages had about three sections of beautiful primary comb drawn on this center frame. I had to release the queen on both packages because the candy had become rock hard, and when I removed the cage on this now stronger one, I ended up dropping the frame and knocked all the new comb off of it (boy did I swear, and the bees were even less happy!). I thought it would put them a little behind the other one, but it sure didn't.

[Neubee]

I'm glad the foundationless frames are working well for you.

I had that same experience when I dropped a frame. It was early in the year and the bees were mad. I thought I had killed the queen but it turned out all right.

Hope your bees keep doing great!

Neubee

[wayacoyote]

Gene,
WHAT are you feeding those girls??? I hived 3 3-lb packages (probably Italians w/ russian queens) and they are not doing half of what yours is.

Waya

[Michael Bush]

None of the new bees will be emerging for a few days yet. I'd probably wait another week.

[carbide]

I'd wait until they had at least a couple of frames drawn clear to the bottom and all the frames at least 50% drawn.

[Gene Weitzel]

Waya,
I started them with sugar syrup (1:1) in a hive top feeder, they drank it down like crazy for the first 2 weeks (about a quart every day or so), then abruptly quit. I still have a full feeder in place but I have seen very little change in the syrup level and very few bees visit it, so I think they must have found a good flow somewhere. These were 100% Russian packages from Jester Bees, my Italians started pretty fast as well, but they have been about half as fast as the Russians, so if your packages had Italian workers thats probably the difference. When the Russians start emerging you should notice an acceleration, particullary if there is a flow going on.

Michael,
I was planning to wait until this weekend, I just wanted to verify that there was enough room in the brood box to hold them until then. They will have been hived 4 weeks this weekend.

carbide
They had a couple of frames that were within about 2" of being drawn all the way to the bottom, I am sure they will be there by this weekend.