My top bar hive was never like that. I could pull every frame without an issue. Crazy how different hives have such different temperaments. I'm prolly gonna end up with a hot hive this year just to teach me a lesson. Bee-Karma - oh how it stings!
Yep had all that covered.Sounds like you enticed them into a stinging frenzy. Its always a good idea to make splits on nice warm days while foragers are foraging and use your smoker. Im sure you made sure both aspects was already covered, just wanted to throw it out there anyway.
I used a frame with three swarm cells for the new colony. The donor colony had a frame with two supercedure cells. Anyway to get one of the queens for another colony?Are you adding a queen to the split? Wouldn't seem as though you would want more of these bees.
Did you use the supercedure queens in your new splits?I used a frame with three swarm cells for the new colony. The donor colony had a frame with two supercedure cells. Anyway to get one of the queens for another colony?
No I used the swarm cells. The supercedure were on the same frameDid you use the supercedure queens in your new splits?
This colony has always been gentle when I work the supers but when I get into the brood they get mad. I was running low on smoke and used very little by the time I got to the brood so that could be a factor as well.Ramdino why do you think they went into a stinging frenzy?
How do you get them to draw out new frames without them storing the feed as honey and then widing up with surger water for honey?I have a colony like this one. I'm going to wait until I can raise some aurea queens to requeen. I will pull some frames of brood to keep it from getting too big too soon. Honey production wise this colony is very productive. But, it accounted for 90% of my stings last year. It has come through the winter strong.
I'm not looking forward to the day I break it up. But, I am looking forward to all the brood. I should also try and get it to draw out some new frames before I split it up.
Tom
One problem I have is that I use deeps and mediums for brood chambers. So I don't have a lot of deep drawn comb with pollen and honey to split up with numerous splits. Its all I can do to have enough for both colonies. I though about going to all medium equipment for this very reason.Those colonies I requeen if their mood was not my fault or a skunks or the weather. Repeat offenders get a new queen no matter how good they are otherwise. Life is too short to maintain hot bees unless you enjoy that kind of abuse. I have two boomers this spring that are going to get split into little pieces with new queens.
Does that not ruin the genetics of the colony requeening with a strange queen. This colony is such a good producer of brood and honeyThose colonies I requeen if their mood was not my fault or a skunks or the weather. Repeat offenders get a new queen no matter how good they are otherwise. Life is too short to maintain hot bees unless you enjoy that kind of abuse. I have two boomers this spring that are going to get split into little pieces with new queens.