[Kzibell086]

Hey yall!

Last year I got a nuc, but i got it pretty late in the season (almost august, which is late in Maryland). This year i picked one up in April. We're off to a much better start!

I initially put the frames in from the 5 frame nuc on one side of a 10 frame deep with 5 more on the other side that was empty. I then put an empty medium on top with just a 16 oz container of sugar syrup. I looked today after 11 days, and of course they took advantage of the empty room and built some comb in there. I took down the comb today, got rid of the empty nuc, and i moved some of the frames around so they alternated like E-F-F-E-F-E-F-E-F-E with F being frame and E being empty. Do you think this was a good decision? We've had a pretty good flow so far and tons of flowers. The rhododendrons are just coming into bloom so hundreds of those flowers should be available.

There are tons of drone cells and a lot of comb at the bottom of each frame. Im still really iffy with telling brood, nectar, and honey apart. I don't know why I just can't do it.

Does it seem like im on the right track? Was it a good idea to switch the frames around?

 

[Akademee]

Are you using foundation? If so, what kind? Generally, alternating frames like that is a good idea since it keeps them from building comb in silly places.

 

[JWPalmer]

You have divided the broodnest too much. Putting the frames from the nuc all on one side was a mistake IMO. Splitting up those frames was an even bigger one. Try this configuration, EEFFEFFFEE. Keep the brood tight together with just the one empty frame in the midst. Make sure the frames with honey and pollen are in the outside positions. As the center empty frame gets laid up, add one more of rhe empty frames in the center and push the drawn comb to the outsides of the box. Keep the feed on them but if you are using a mason jar feeder, set it on top of the inner cover over the hole and then place the medium on top of that.

Most beeks use a different nomenclature for hive mapping. F means foundation B for brood comb, H for honeycomb, E might mean foundationless. YMMV.

 

[Absinthe]

Really? and no one is going to say anything about rhododendrons?

 

[marksmith]

Honey bees are all over my rhododendrons and azaleas. Bumbles and mason bees too. Haven’t ever had any ill effects

 

[JWPalmer]

For those who do not understand absinthe's query, here is a quote regarding rhododendron honey from another site.

All rhododendron and azalea nectar contains the toxins: grayanotoxins (formerly known as andromedotoxin, acetylandromedol, and rhodotoxin), arbutin glucoside.

The symptoms of excessive doses of these toxins are: stomach irritation, abdominal pain, abnormal heart rate and rhythm, convulsions, coma, death.

Poisonings frequently occur due to rhododendron and azalea honey in Turkey and occasionally occur in other places such as Korea and on the west coast of the US.

In India, they use rhododendron and azalea honey to treat high blood pressure. Rhododendron honey from Italy is even sold in the US under the name Mitica Rhododendron Honey. It behaves much as digitalis (foxglove) and can be either medicinal if used properly or lethal if not treated properly.

Personally, I have never seen my honey bees working my azaleas. Bumblebees and butterflys aplenty.

 

[Kzibell086]

I actually ersearched this after. Google tells me for the most part bees tend to leave it alone... And since so much nectar is needed to create such a little bit amount of honey, on top of the fact its dilluted with water, it should be fine. Theres not much i can do about them anyways... Orobably 20 plants on the property. I have yet to see any on them though

 

[Gray Goose]

You have divided the broodnest too much. Putting the frames from the nuc all on one side was a mistake IMO. Splitting up those frames was an even bigger one. Try this configuration, EEFFEFFFEE. Keep the brood tight together with just the one empty frame in the midst. Make sure the frames with honey and pollen are in the outside positions. As the center empty frame gets laid up, add one more of rhe empty frames in the center and push the drawn comb to the outsides of the box. Keep the feed on them but if you are using a mason jar feeder, set it on top of the inner cover over the hole and then place the medium on top of that.

Most beeks use a different nomenclature for hive mapping. F means foundation B for brood comb, H for honeycomb, E might mean foundationless. YMMV.

+ 1 1 frame in the brood nest at a time is better.

GG

 

[Kzibell086]

+ 1 1 frame in the brood nest at a time is better.

GG

Yup got it fixed thanks!

 

[Amibusiness]

For what it's worth, JW, I like to put the Nuc on one side of the box and put 1 new frame right outside the lart brood frame (roughly the center of the box). They seem to draw more efficiently as they are only working one side. If there is a heavy flow and they are bulging out the outer feed frame into the E space I move the E into the brood nest. Then on inspection I can just look at the 1 frame they are drawing and see what still needs to be fine with that colony: add a new E, feed, stop feeding....
And I agree, alternating so many undrawn frames is not a good idea for a small colony. i'm glad op fixed that!

 

[Titus142]

For those who do not understand absinthe's query, here is a quote regarding rhododendron honey from another site.


Personally, I have never seen my honey bees working my azaleas. Bumblebees and butterflys aplenty.

Wow this is news to me! I have two azaleas out front and it is VIBRATING with the number of bees on it, bumblebees, hornets, sweatflies, and lots of honeybees.