[Scott Allen]

Hi All,

Just installed my first hive 2 weeks ago. I checked them yesterday for the first time and found them building comb in a lump on top of the frames. I have a deep on the bottom and a deep temporarily on top so that I can feed them. They were a nuc when I got them. My question is; should I move some of the frames (with just foundation) towards the middle so they will build on that or exchange the top deep for a super with frames to prevent them from building anymore onto the top of the frames? Thanks!

Scott

 

[mike haney]

cut a hole in an inner cover, put over the bottom deep, and feed through that. they prefer to build in empty spaces, this will confine them to the deep brood box. too much space is also hard to defend/heat/cool. good luck,mike

 

[Scott Allen]

Thanks Mike. I appreciate the info. Now I have to keep an eye out for bears. Since its there breeding season, there have been bears spotted all around us in the last few weeks!

Scott

 

[mike haney]

do a search at the top of the page for "bear fence". hate to see you lose'em, cause the bears will smell'em out, then its game over. good luck,mike

 

[Countryboy]

Get rid of the second deep box, unless you have frames in it, or unless you put an inner cover between the boxes and feed through the inner cover hole. You should never have a feeder sitting on frames inside an empty box.

You have a beespace violation, which is why they are building comb that way. You need to correct this violation.

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

Think about strapping the hive together with a ratchet strap. Bears are incredibly smart at digging under fences and electric fences or pushing trees over the fence. A single deep would be easier to bind together and frustrate the bear. Once a bear wastes time getting stung and not getting fed that bear will not be back, others maybe.

 

[Scott Allen]

I'll feed with ziplock bags so should have enough room to put the inner cover on the first deep. I'll give that a try. I appreciate all the advice. I will mostly just have to hope the bears stay away. I've see the damage they do to cabins. I don't think a determined one will be thwarted by electric fence or binder strap! My Grandpa used to tell a story of when he was a logger in the WV mountains. They stayed in tin buildings at the logging site and one night cooked beans and bacon for supper. A bear came around in the middle of the night and tried to get in. He slapped the side of the building so hard it left a huge dent in the wall and then proceeded to peel a sheet of tin off the wall before they could run it off! Determined......to say the least.


Thanks again,
Scott

 

[mike haney]

you wont get enough syrup in a space that small to help much. you should watch some of the forest service videos of bears tearing the doors off of cars and clawing through the side of log cabins. the curing of nectar (syrup or otherwise) is what brings the bears to you-they smell it. good luck,mike

 

[crazyseany]

there was a video I saw on youtube where the guy installed a package... And was using a chicken waterer sitting on top of the frames in the first deep... An empty deep was used to conceal the top and chicken waterer... He crumpled up newspaper to "fill" up the space in the empty deep...

sean