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12 Posts
Hi all:
Did an inspection just now, and have a behavior question. For background: I've got 8 frame all mediums, foundationless frames. Bees made it through first winter and look good; low mite count, bringing in pollen. Right now they have three boxes- over the winter the bottom two were mostly brood nest, top box had 5 frames capped honey, 1 frame half drawn and capped, and 2 empty frames, no comb.
When I went in just now, bottom box has bees on the frames with pollen, though frames look pretty dark (should they be that dark after one season?), and zero brood, zero capped honey. 8 empty frames basically, though bees were sticking their heads in the cells (packing in pollen?)
middle box has 7 of the 8 frames full of brood in various stages, and I saw the queen. 1 frame open honey.
the third box has 2 frames capped honey (winter store?), and BROOD int he center 2 frames. Bees are drawing out the rest of the empty frames. No queen cups anywhere.
My questions:
-what's up with the bottom box? Will the queen move back down? I thought brood nest was usually two mediums.
If she's in the top two boxes laying, should I add a super on top?
-What should I do with the dark looking frames in the bottom box?
-should I remove the bottom box, clean it out, and place a third box on top of the two that are being layed in?
thanks all, hope this makes sense. My first spring and I don't want to screw it up.
Casey
Did an inspection just now, and have a behavior question. For background: I've got 8 frame all mediums, foundationless frames. Bees made it through first winter and look good; low mite count, bringing in pollen. Right now they have three boxes- over the winter the bottom two were mostly brood nest, top box had 5 frames capped honey, 1 frame half drawn and capped, and 2 empty frames, no comb.
When I went in just now, bottom box has bees on the frames with pollen, though frames look pretty dark (should they be that dark after one season?), and zero brood, zero capped honey. 8 empty frames basically, though bees were sticking their heads in the cells (packing in pollen?)
middle box has 7 of the 8 frames full of brood in various stages, and I saw the queen. 1 frame open honey.
the third box has 2 frames capped honey (winter store?), and BROOD int he center 2 frames. Bees are drawing out the rest of the empty frames. No queen cups anywhere.
My questions:
-what's up with the bottom box? Will the queen move back down? I thought brood nest was usually two mediums.
If she's in the top two boxes laying, should I add a super on top?
-What should I do with the dark looking frames in the bottom box?
-should I remove the bottom box, clean it out, and place a third box on top of the two that are being layed in?
thanks all, hope this makes sense. My first spring and I don't want to screw it up.
Casey