[NC-Bee-Dude]

I just got the green drone frames for my hives. The reason is two-fold; to help eliminate so much drone rearing in burr comb, and to help with varroa counts.

Can anyone give me some ideas on where I would place them in a two deep hive? Not sure if I should place them in the top chamber or the bottom.

Gentlemen (and ladies too)?

 

[concrete-bees]

one your first part ...

burr comb is not built to make drone cells - drone cells are a result of burr comb- and burr comb is a result of an error in bee space -

on the placement

place it in place of the last frame of brood - so on the outer edge of the brood - and place it in either box but the top box is best if you dont want to lift the boxes to get to the frames -

after the season gets going and you have lots more bees you can place the drawn drone frame anywhere you want and she will lay in it but closer to the center the better

just keep a calender up to date - if you forget just one time you will have more mites then you will ever wish to talk about

good luck

 

[D Coates]

In a 10 frame hive I put the green drone frames in the 3 or 7 frame position. If I want to keep them in the hive but not have the queen lay in them I put them in the 1 or 10 position. I put them in there and pull them at out 3 weeks. They'll be capped and it'll definately put a crimp in the varroa's growth curve.

I too get drone brood comb drawn out between the top and bottom deeps. Apparently something is violating the beespace in there. The deeps and frames are mostly Dadant, but I've also got some from Kelly, Betterbee, Orr, and Brushy Mountain. When things get hopping, no matter the manufacturer or combination of manufacturers that area gets drone comb. Capped or not I scrape them away when I look between the deeps for active queen cells. I feed the larva to the fish in my pond while examining them and getting a feel for varroa levels. I melt the leftover comb in my solar wax melter.

 

[OB_Left]

I started a 3 lbs package on 4-19 and placed it in position 4. For drawing comb it has acted like a barrier. The bees have drawn out to the other side of the box (5 and ½ frames, caped brood and stores) and the side of the drone frame towards the brood nest. Nothing on the outside surface of the green frame or the other three outside frames. :s Still giving 1:1. No drone brood, just syrup and pollen stores, center is open drawn comb. Is this normal? Should I flip some frames (non-brood) say (3&7, 2&8) etc. Or will they get around to it and I’m worrying too much? :doh:

 

[D Coates]

Everything sounds normal, you may be worrying too much. Lord knows I did when I first started. Let them do their thing, don't disturb the drawn comb by turning it around. Make sure the queen is laying (find eggs and larva) and leave them alone. I'd keep feeding them for another month or as long as they'll take it to get them in the best position for later Spring.

Personally, I don't put the drone frames in there until they've at least drawn out a deep. A newly establishing hive is more interested in hitting critical mass with workers before considering reproduction needs.