[gman1001]

New package hive this spring, Carnolians. Hive is packed with bees and they are extremely busy and active, here in coastal CT some folks are saying the flow is still cranking. I've put pics of two frames from the top box of my hive so you can see how they are doing. (hive is all mediums)

One of the frames looks to be all honey with the center part uncapped at this point.

So 10 days ago I put the honey super on to see if they would work it. Nothing, bubkus, nada. They seem to be ignoring it. They aren't even drawing out the comb.

So, take the super off? Or maybe leave it on and turn my 3 medium hive into a 4 medium brood box hive?

What do you all think?

 

[VodoBaas1]

I had this happen last year. They will build comb when they need it. My third box (all mediums) is mostly honey. My guess is that they will back fill when the brood emerges. Ate you feeding?

 

[COAL REAPER]

i think i like your shorts!
those outside frames will almost always be honey. they should be shrinking the brood nest now to decrease population and have more room for honey stores for the winer. i wouldnt think she would start laying in a forth box this late in the season. i would leave it on, they very well may start storing up there. some will move a frame or two of soon to be emerging brood up to the honey super to get them interested in drawing out those frames up there. in any event, you should be looking good for this coming winter with what they have built up so far, provided there is no extreme dearth for you through summer and into fall.

 

[gman1001]

not feeding, there is a ton of food out there now.

 

[gman1001]

i think i like your shorts!
those outside frames will almost always be honey. they should be shrinking the brood nest now to decrease population and have more room for honey stores for the winer. i wouldnt think she would start laying in a forth box this late in the season. i would leave it on, they very well may start storing up there. some will move a frame or two of soon to be emerging brood up to the honey super to get them interested in drawing out those frames up there. in any event, you should be looking good for this coming winter with what they have built up so far, provided there is no extreme dearth for you through summer and into fall.

Its so hot here I tempt fate and wear shorts. I know I'm going to regret it one of these days!

 

[wags]

Its so hot here I tempt fate and wear shorts. I know I'm going to regret it one of these days!

+1 for use of the word Bubkus
-1 for wearing shorts while pulling frames

I always wear a bee suit, even when doing trivial things like replacing feed jars or picking up around the hives. For a while I thought I was being over-cautious, until yesterday when I walked up on the hives (veil-less) to snap a few photos of the bees bearding: that's when I got instantly tagged on the back of the neck by a flying bee.

I'd hate to read that some day the bees decided to make a BEE-line up your shorts.

 

[Vance G]

Are you running an excluder that is keeping them out of the super? Move a frame of honey or brood up in the middle of the super to get the bees working up there. I have 30 hives that are going to make a crop and I am not such a big operator that I can not sort a few frames of brood out of honey supers when the bees have moved up a little.

 

[gman1001]

Nope, no excluder. Good idea moving a frame or two up. I'll do that.

 

[kwright]

Give them a top entrance in the super. All bees going back and forth to the brood nest will necessarily go through the super. They're bound to see it then.