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2 new nucs - one backfilling brood

3K views 12 replies 5 participants last post by  geebob 
#1 · (Edited)
First off - thankyou to everyone who contributes here on this forum - you've kept me up WAY too late many nights reading so many neat things about bees :)

Now - we are first year beekeepers with two nucs installed April 22nd in British Columbia, Canada. They seem to be doing everything pretty much by the book. We've left them alone for the past 8 days, but checked today.They are in medium boxes with the following frames:
- 4 plastic frames that came with the nucs, mostly drawn out, there has been a good strong brood pattern in these.
- 1 wooden frame with old drawn comb the beekeeper included with the nucs as it fit in the box.
- 3 wooden frames we fit with wax foundation.
-3 foundationless frames with the wedge turned 90 degrees.

The brood on the plastic frames is centered in the box with the wooden frames staggered foundationless/foundation.
In the hive in question, the bees have mostly drawn out one full foundationless frame since last Thursday. They haven't even touched any of the other foundationless or foundation frames - only the plastic frames they came on and one adjacent foundationless.

My question is that much of the broodnest has been backfilled with sugarwater where bees have recently emerged - even in the occasional little blank cell the queen leaves amongst brood, those are full of sugar water.

I should note that this hive also built a nice dombed ladder of brace comb all the way up into the top feeder while my other hive did not at all.

They are not in any way honeybound and are drawing out that one frame, however most of what I read about backfilling indicates swarming soon? Do I need to be concerned?

I am not sure if I should
1) stop feeding? Most advice i read is to feed until the bottom box is fully drawn out.
2) Manipulate the frames in some way to encourage the bees to draw out more comb?
3) not worry about it and trust they know what they are doing.
4)do something else I didn't mention?

thanks

Some videos of our inspection today are available athttp://thebxpress.com/2012/05/first-foundationless-frame-drawn/
 
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#3 ·
I wish I had enough experience to help, but I'll have to leave this one to the experienced beekeepers. I just had a similar scare about my new nuc's becoming honey bound, but an inspection today indicated that all is good. It was mostly a result of me reading too much and believing that the bees needed me to make sure they were doing the right thing.

One of my nuc's built the ladder up into the top feeder. I thought it was really adorable and let them keep it until I needed to add a super. Then I carefully removed it and put it on my knick-knack shelf since it was the first thing I ever harvested from my first couple of weeks of beekeeping.

After I removed it, they did not rebuild. Did it look something like this?

Bee Beehive Honeybee Honeycomb Insect
 
#4 ·
Thanks for replying....here is a link to the pic http://thebxpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/may17_0253-470x260.jpg coming through the top of the feeder, or there is a video of it here....http://thebxpress.com/2012/05/first-foundationless-frame-drawn/...haha...I sound absolutely crazy having all these pictures and even videos up! Anyways I'm loving it all, and yes, reading too much.

I think I'll just remove the whole feeder tomorrow and maybe that will help eliminate the small amount of vertical space they have to go up, and help them move outwards moreso....there are plenty of flowers in bloom around here now anyhow and they obviously have lots of sugarsyrup stored if needed!
 
#7 ·
My understanding is before a flow or during a dearth you want to feed until they start storing it unless you are preparing for winter. Then you want them to store enough to get them through. (which will vary depending upon where you are located.) My question. . . Do you have a flow on now? We've been having one here for better than a month now and I figured you being in Canada you ought to be having one now also. Am I correct in this thinking? If so then you don't need to feed regardless of the fact that they're taking it or not. I am by no means an expert, but those that are have several hives and most now are on a flow themselves and have MUCH work to do which could be why they haven't responded yet. I hope this helps.
 
#9 ·
As long as there is a good supply of nectar coming in, they will draw out the frames just fine. You may have to feed them again if there is an extended dearth. As I don't know your climate well, I'm not sure if you'll have a steady flow through the Summer or not.
 
#11 ·
Checking local is always your best bet!!! When the bees come in watch them. Some will be coming in like a fighter jet and wiz right into the entrance. Those don't have nectar. If they are more hesitant and clumsy then those most likely have nectar. If they fall or miss the target of the entrance this is also a sign that they're "heavy loaded" with nectar. If you watch for even a minute you'll see this.
 
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