[Organist]

Hi,

Checked into the hives yesterday. Each hive has about four empty frames yet, though the bees are just getting started on them. I'm thinking in the next week or so I might add another deep to each hive with more frames. Both hives now have capped brood and some honey capped around the edges.

In the smaller hive, I got to watch a worker get her way out of her cell. A new bee! I also found 2 queen cells in this hive. One looked like there was something in it. the other I couldn't tell. There was a be working in it. All I saw was a little rear end sticking out, moving around. The queen is still in there, so I'm not sure about the cells. From what I've read on here, I gather that bees can build them, and not use them. I decided to leave them there for the time being. The bees probably know what they're doing. I'll keep an eye on it.

The other hive was simply packed with bees. I found no queen cells there, though. This group was a little annoyed at my intrusion, but I didn't get stung. There is a monster piece of burr comb on a frame. It's filled with honey and brood, so I decided to leave it alone. It doesn't seem to be in the way.

About a month into this adventure, I've looked in a few times just enough to see what's going on. I hope I'm going about this the right way.

 

[Saltybee]

doing well to me. Yes , I would let a queen cell go in a weaker hive without hesitation.
I would suggest rotating the undrawn frames into the outer edge of the brood nest to get them drawn out before another deep is added. When you do add the next deep pull 2 frames up with an undrawn between them and replace the lower frames with empties back on the outer edges of the brood.

Might as well start getting comfortable moving frames of brood and bees around. Find the queen or make really sure you do not have her on a brood frame and boost the weaker. Shaking off most of the bees is a good safe way to begin moving frames.

If you do not want to cut off a burr comb move it outside of the nest ( far outside frame in bottom ) until it is empty then cut it off. Before long you will just cut them off before they get used much.