[dgoodman]

Hello All,

Yesterday, I made my weekly inspection of my hives (3). A couple hives had become a mess. These bees seem to want to make comb just about everywhere. Favorite spots include the top bars, and in the top feeder gaps. This did not happen at all last year.

This year I have been using follower boards. To my surprise, yesterday's inspection reveals a large drawn comb (in the style of a top bar hive), hanging from the bottom of the feeder, on the outside wall of the follwer board, two deeps in length. Quite beautiful, but wrong location. Is this common?

Any thoughts about my comb crazy bees would be appreciated.

Best,

DG

 

[Michael Bush]

>Is this common?

It's certainly not unheard of. I'd probably requeen. It seems to be a genetic predisposition to do such things.

 

[iddee]

I would get rid of the follower board and the feeder. Then I would add a super. Your area should be in a flow and they need excesive space for drying nector. At least 6, maybe 20 combs free for useage. Especially in the wetlands where you live.

 

[dgoodman]

Hey Iddee,

That's close to what I did yesterday. I didn't remove the follower boards, but I did remove the feeder and add a honey super. My tout here is a big fan of follower boards, so I've been following his lead (this season anyway).


Thanks.

DG

[ May 30, 2006, 10:50 PM: Message edited by: dgoodman ]

 

[naturebee]

Good advice iddee!

Sounds like you need to super em up