[BGhoney]

I picked up a big swarm about 5 weeks ago, I put it into 2 deeps but after a couple of days they were all down in the bottom deep so I removed the top deep.
I had checked it a couple of times with no big changes, well yesterday I opened it up and it was stuffed with bees, I started to remove some frames to look for queen cells, and all 10 frames had 90% brood coverage, and no queen cells . Not much honey or pollen, just brood, there were atleast 5 frames of new brood nice light yellow capped cells.

I added a excluder and 2 supers thinking I might get some honey. I have a feeling this queen will just keep on laying into the winter and they will starve. I have had hives that keep building and starve by xmas but not like this.
Does anyone had I hive like this and what did you do, I'm not sure I want to graph off her , It would be great for summer build up, but probalbly not winter surviving. I didn't see her, for all I know there might be 2 queens.

 

[fish_stix]

You might consider another brood box if they're building like that. Be a shame to lose that queen.

 

[denny]

What fish_stix says,...and take off the excluder & 2 supers, .....let them keep all their honey they can pack into 2 deeps to winter on.

 

[standman]

I have a swarm queen that is doing the same thing. I think she was a virgin when I boxed her, as I saw her the next day on the landing board. She had passed through a queen excluder I placed between the brood chamber and the bottom board. Now she is laying in every cell on the foundation as soon as the bees begin to draw it--and I mean begin. Hardly a rim around it, and she plops an egg in it! I have added a second deep, and plan to let her expand as much as she wants. Too many bees, and I will just boost my other hives. Not enough stores, and I will feed and supplement with dry sugar. I think it is a great problem to have. Keep us informed about your progress.

 

[waynesgarden]

I have a left-over package queen from the packages I bought in the spring. She is from the last hive I re-queened with northern queens, but she is such a laying machine that I brought her home the other day and put her in a nuc. If she can keep cranking out frames of brood, I'll foster them out to other hives and keep her around. I'm feeding the nuc like crazy and hope the bees in it can keep up with her and keep making enough comb.

Wayne

 

[BGhoney]

I could add another deep but I will have to feed for them to make it through winter, are flow is just ending, might have another week of blackberries at my house. I just walked out and checked them tonight, both supers are full of bees and the first one that I put on 2 days ago is 3/4 full. They must of been totally brood bound. I'll pull off the supers this weekend and let her attack another brood box.

Maybe I'll take some pics for future show and tell, even frame 1 and 10 have 3/4 frame of brood on the outside . At least with 10 frames of brood coming off in the next 3 weeks, I can give them a whole bag of sugar and let them store it.

I should graft a couple cells from her just to see if they do the same thing next year..

 

[BerkeyDavid]

yeah graft a couple cells and make up some nucs to overwinter. If you are going to feed anyway I would split them up. You have lots of young bees which is what you want to overwinter. I know it sounds silly but you might want to add some pollen patties too because that is what they need to get the vitogellin which gets them through the winter. SOunds like they may be light on pollen.

 

[bjerm2]

I would let her have the three boxes even if they are full of brood. She is building for the winter and there is still the golden rod that will be blooming plus the asters. I would let her do her thing and see how they fair. Might surprise you. I have over the 30 + years keeping and breeding bees hives like this and in the spring I would have light spring honey. Only problem now is the stupid mites. Treat for that to since the mite is also building up. This might be a worth while queen for your beekeeping needs.
Dan

 

[BGhoney]

We don't have goldenrod or asters here. Kinda a 1 trick pony with blackberries, we have some maple early but its usually to rainy for them to gather. A little white clover putts around some, and dandilions always but not much nector at all after about the middle of july.

 

[bjerm2]

Sorry to hear about that. This is my main honey source besides blue berries. By july they are almost dry and come the fall the load right up with honey providing it is not cool and wet.

 

[rrussell6870]

I would add a deep and borrow some honey for winter from another hive. She will lay to her hearts content which will be well worth the extra work next spring when you can get splits and grafts off her...well... I say that it would be worth the work...but I am in the south...so our winters are nothing...it may NOT be worth fumbling through the snow. lol. Good luck!

 

[BGhoney]

I added a deep about a week ago, and chopped it down to one super, looks like they are moving some of the honey down from the super to the deep but thats ok, The mass of new bees hasnt hit yet, should be emerging this week.
I'll keep her alive if they dont eat like crazy all winter, I'l slip them a couple of gallons of sugar syrup late august and see how the do.