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Hey everyone, I’m looking for some advice. I’m a brand spanking new beek who just started my first hive.
On 4-12-14 I hived my 3lb package of Italians. I’m using waxed Rite-Cell foundation in a 10 frame Lang with a hive top feeder. Everything went well except, I used a rubber band to hold the queen cage to a frame and I noticed the next day that the cage had fallen down. I have a screened bottom board and was able to see it. I opened up the hive, retrieved the cage and wedged it between 2 frames at the top and closed everything back up.
On 4-18, I did my first inspection. I saw the queen was released, and the bees had already drawn some comb on the foundation of the frames around the queen cage. I noticed some pollen, and a lot of water or syrup in the comb, but no eggs. I refilled the feeder with another 5 qts of 1:1 sugar syrup and closed up.
Today 4-24(12 days since installing), I checked again. The feeder was pretty much empty. They have drawn out comb on most of the foundation on 6 frames. I saw some more pollen, some capped honey (at the top), and a lot of liquid in most of the cells, but no eggs or brood. I did see the queen (she’s marked) so I know she’s still alive and well. I removed some burr comb from the center channel entrance of the feeder, filled it up again, and closed up.
I searched around on the forum and learned about “backfilling”. Do you think this is what’s happening? Shouldn’t I have seen some brood by now, or is it too soon?
Here is a picture of a couple of the frames.
Queens on this frame
If they keep drawing comb at this pace, I will have to add the second deep very soon.
Should I continue to feed after that so they can draw comb on the 10 new frames?
Let me know what you think
Thanks in advance
On 4-12-14 I hived my 3lb package of Italians. I’m using waxed Rite-Cell foundation in a 10 frame Lang with a hive top feeder. Everything went well except, I used a rubber band to hold the queen cage to a frame and I noticed the next day that the cage had fallen down. I have a screened bottom board and was able to see it. I opened up the hive, retrieved the cage and wedged it between 2 frames at the top and closed everything back up.
On 4-18, I did my first inspection. I saw the queen was released, and the bees had already drawn some comb on the foundation of the frames around the queen cage. I noticed some pollen, and a lot of water or syrup in the comb, but no eggs. I refilled the feeder with another 5 qts of 1:1 sugar syrup and closed up.
Today 4-24(12 days since installing), I checked again. The feeder was pretty much empty. They have drawn out comb on most of the foundation on 6 frames. I saw some more pollen, some capped honey (at the top), and a lot of liquid in most of the cells, but no eggs or brood. I did see the queen (she’s marked) so I know she’s still alive and well. I removed some burr comb from the center channel entrance of the feeder, filled it up again, and closed up.
I searched around on the forum and learned about “backfilling”. Do you think this is what’s happening? Shouldn’t I have seen some brood by now, or is it too soon?
Here is a picture of a couple of the frames.
Queens on this frame
If they keep drawing comb at this pace, I will have to add the second deep very soon.
Should I continue to feed after that so they can draw comb on the 10 new frames?
Let me know what you think
Thanks in advance
