I have a bit of a dilemma I hope you might be able to help me with....I have 3.5 hives, two are packages installed this season, and the other is a 2-week old swarm hive.....hive one now seems lethargic, compared to how they were before....I think there's too much stored pollen/nectar in the lower deep....I put the second deep on about a week ago, and after inspection on Saturday morning, I noticed that they ARE now in the upper box in small numbers and starting to draw comb on the second level (right in the middle of the box). But the majority of bees are still lingering in the lower box when there's just not a lot of brood in there, compared to what they had before ....and lots of bees are hanging around on their front porch now as well. I read about a hive condition called being "honey bound." Does this sound like a reasonable explanation for my current state?
Now that there's a second deep on the hive, will they drain out the nectar/syrup in what, "used to be brood nest" area and start laying eggs there again? I'm wondering if there was simply too much food available all at the same time...sugar syrup + nectar/pollen....?
One beekeeper told me to raise a few of those honey/syrup frames up into the second deep and replacement positions 3,5,7 in the first deep with foundation-only frames to break up the broodnest and get 'em back on target....any other resolutions/recommendations? I
Please advise.... Thank you.
Now that there's a second deep on the hive, will they drain out the nectar/syrup in what, "used to be brood nest" area and start laying eggs there again? I'm wondering if there was simply too much food available all at the same time...sugar syrup + nectar/pollen....?
One beekeeper told me to raise a few of those honey/syrup frames up into the second deep and replacement positions 3,5,7 in the first deep with foundation-only frames to break up the broodnest and get 'em back on target....any other resolutions/recommendations? I
Please advise.... Thank you.