I'm sure this has been gone over ad nauseum. I did try searching the forums to try to find my answer. We are new to beekeeping, we have one strong hive. It has two deeps and the 2nd deep is at the 70% mark (10 frame) Dadant. We would like to add a medium super which we have. We also have a metal queen excluder and a bee escape on hand to use at some point if needed.
So here goes. I have gathered that this is rather controversial. Should I add the medium without queen excluder, and if I do this, do I just let them decide what they wish to do with this new level or is there some way to try to manage what they will do with it? Sugar water on the frames at first to draw them in at first to entice comb drawing?
Do I add it with the queen excluder and if I do it this way how many days should I let pass before going in and determining if this worked or not?
Should I add it w/o excluder until they begin drawing it out then add the excluder?
Would just like to hear some ideas here, and I'm sure this has been already addressed and I apologize in advance for more than likely repeating a question that's been previously asked/answered.
Some ideas from you guys on this would be greatly appreciated.
We're in north central Florida, close to rivers and springs, plenty of nectar and pollen for months to come.
Thanks, Joe
So here goes. I have gathered that this is rather controversial. Should I add the medium without queen excluder, and if I do this, do I just let them decide what they wish to do with this new level or is there some way to try to manage what they will do with it? Sugar water on the frames at first to draw them in at first to entice comb drawing?
Do I add it with the queen excluder and if I do it this way how many days should I let pass before going in and determining if this worked or not?
Should I add it w/o excluder until they begin drawing it out then add the excluder?
Would just like to hear some ideas here, and I'm sure this has been already addressed and I apologize in advance for more than likely repeating a question that's been previously asked/answered.
Some ideas from you guys on this would be greatly appreciated.
We're in north central Florida, close to rivers and springs, plenty of nectar and pollen for months to come.
Thanks, Joe