But, (and this is where I'm a tad lost) at some point the Dadant brood-frame count is reduced back down to six again for the remainder of the season. Two questions then arise in my mind: firstly, how exactly is this reduction performed, and secondly - what then happens to those frames ?
If I was doing this reduction myself, then - after ensuring that the Queen was on the bottom set of frames - I'd place a QX between the lower and upper set of frames until the latter was cleared, or at least more-or-less cleared ... is that what happens here ? Presumably those frames could then be placed in storage.
But if they were to be used to raise another colony, then the above clearance could be dispensed with, and those frames used 'as is' complete with whatever residual brood they contain.
So that's the essence of my question - what fate awaits that second set of Dadant-sized frames ? - as it would appear that they don't stay on the existing stack.
Hey LJ,
I really want to review his videos again (especially the "Advantages of the 6-framers" - #1 to #6). Now that I should have a reliable supply of bees - more experimentation is in order - onto the 6F Dadants!
Here is his video titled - "One-time expansion down."
(1031) Разовое расширение в низ! - YouTube
Here is his video titled - "Expansion! Two weeks later!"
(1031) Расширение! Результат через 2 недели! - YouTube
But here let me try:
1)
firstly, how exactly is this reduction performed,
In the first video he says (after 11:00 sometimes) - as the upper box frames are gradually empty of the brood the bees will fill those deep frames with honey - he will remove the frames, extract the honey and re-deploy the frames into his splitting/expansion operation.
2)
secondly - what then happens to those frames ?
Upon removal of the deep frames above the QX, those deep frames are redeployed into the splits.
So, basically, once the brood has hatched and second deep tier has been redeployed elsewhere -
for the remainder of the season only shallow honey frames are installed over the QX.
3)
is that what happens here ? Presumably those frames could then be placed in storage.
Not storage - those frames are redeployed into the expansion projects.
At his stationary base he runs expansion/queen mating projects - the deep frames are needed there too.
4)But if they were to be used to raise another colony,
then the above clearance could be dispensed with, and those frames used 'as is' complete with whatever residual brood they contain.
In his case - he needs all the brood to hatch
locally, and the resulting workforce used for the honey harvest.
Once the second deep tier is redeployed away - he immediately places honey boxes in its place - and then the honey harvest above the main 6F brood box will going on and on - thru the entire long, migratory season.
So, he does not (generally!) deploy the residual brood elsewhere - but you certainly can - depending on your own needs and wants.
5)
what fate awaits that second set of Dadant-sized frames ? - as it would appear that they don't stay on the existing stack.
Correct - they don't stay beyond the brood hatching period (3 weeks?).
Their fate is to be redeployed into the swarm of the new 6F splits that are being created and raised at his stationary expansion yard. As he travels with his truck - many of the original queens are being superseded - but the replacement queen matings usually
fail (
in the crowded truck conditions) - so he must have a good supply of replacement queens and replacement colonies.