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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Fluvanna,Virginia,USA
    Posts
    26

    Default Summer heat: bearding and knowing when to super

    It's been around 100 in these parts lately,so I've been adding water sources for the bees. I'm getting a lot of bearding out front,which I suppose is fine given the heat. They beard heavily in the late afternoon/evening,but are all inside by morning. However I'm curious if this may also be a space/crowding issue. I have two first year hives from package bees, each currently with a deep and a medium for brood. I added the medium when the deep was at about 7 frames of drawn out comb. My last check,two weeks back showed only 3 frames drawn out on one of the mediums,and 5 on the other. They seem to be keeping the brood area very narrow,but filling out the middle frames quite consistently. Should I super again,even though they don't seem to be filling the outer frames or drawing out very quickly?
    For what it's worth,the frames seem to have a good pattern to them-the nice rainbow shape,with consistent brood,lots of pollen and some honey in the corners. These gals just seem a bit slow.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Greenwood, Nebraska USA
    Posts
    40,274

    Default Re: Summer heat: bearding and knowing when to super

    If they've got space to build and room for all the bees inside and a supply of water and adequate ventilation (some kind of top vent and some kind of bottom vent) then I wouldn't worry about it. Otherwise I would take care of any of those that are m issing.

    http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#bearding
    Michael Bush bushfarms.com/bees.htm "Everything works if you let it."
    My book: ThePracticalBeekeeper.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    S Hadley, Massachusetts USA
    Posts
    555

    Default Re: Summer heat: bearding and knowing when to super

    It has been 100 here in New England too. I have 4 strong colonies, 1 average colony, and 1 weak colony. I had 2 nucs that bearded all the time until in but them in thier permanent hive. All the hives never beard. I have screened bottom boards, screened inner cover, and water in feeder above the medium supers.

    I am guessing my ventilation is adequate to not have them beard.

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