On checking the bees on Monday, we found that they had drawn out and used almost every brood frame and were clearly desperate for some more work to do. This presented a slight problem as the Super was still sitting (in bits) on our kitchen table.Liam got to work with the Super and I did the frames. Despite getting bits upside down, the wrong nails and many varied sets of instructions on the internet, a super with 11 frames (of sorts) was ready and put on top of the brood chamber on Tuesday.
Putting in the castellated spacers
Robin had recommended castellated spacers - which should make it easier to check and move the super frames.
Checking the frame fits!
Posts
Hi Pia
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me something about the hive bodies and frames you're using.
I'm in the US and am not familiar with UK BK equipment. I saw what appears to be a similar hive body on another UK site but could never get an answer from anyone there.
Am intrigued about your burr comb comments as you frames look pretty clean to me as also did the top board. Typically when you get them trying to burr comb the top of the frames to the top board it's because there is too a large a space between the 2, should really be about 3/8". However Im wondering from your description of adding frames to the brood body whether you started with 3 or 4 frames and a lot of empty space and were adding a couple of frames at a time. If so I'm thinking it possible the bees were building burr comb to seal off the cooler empty space from the brood nest or maybe starting to build free comb hanging from the top board.
What are the chemical treatments you're looking at for varroa control? Personally not too keen on chemicals. Thymol treatments in the Autumn are somewhat organic, also the use of drone foundation frames can be effective as is the use of powdered sugar blowers that can be used at any time.
Would be interested in comparing notes as I have a couple of hives that were started around the same time as yours from Nuc's and packages
If interest I can be reached at
peter at simbatech dot net
obviously replacing at and dor with the requisite symbols
Regards Peter, Westford Massachusetts
Hi Peter,
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry it took me so long to spot your post - I have now changed my settings so it emails me.
With regard to my hive, I have a National Hive. This is the most popular hive in the UK and I think I am right in saying it was designed by a Brit with British beekeeping (weather etc!) in mind. How it differs from other frames I am not 100% sure, but it is 18 1/8 wide and long, has 50,000 brood chamber cells, and has the bee space at the bottom. It has 11 frames and the super frames are smaller than average. I attach a link which shows all the common hives in the UK. http://www.honeyshop.co.uk/hives.html (scroll down).
I think it is seen as being very good for beginners in the UK because the Supers are quite light (good for me!) and because it is easy to beg and borrow frames of brood from other beekeepers (or at least it was before varroa etc) if things went horribly wrong...
With regard to all of our brood comb, I am still not sure why we are getting it. We did in fact start with 5 frames and the rest behind a dummy board, gradually increasing the number in front of the dummy so I dont think it was the bees having too much space. Actually, most of the comb is at the bottom so perhaps there is too much space there? It seems to have slowed down recently, but then EVERYTHING has slowed down recently no doubt due to the appalling weather we are having...
Thank you for the compliment re cleanliness of frames - I have to admit this is wholly due to Robin whom we bought the frames from. How he managed it is a mystery as they are now covered in propolis and as we have no spare equipment, we cant take it away to clean and replace...
Finally varroa (see my latest post). We will definitely do the icing sugar method. I need to read up on Thymol - i cant remember if it is authorised in the UK. Will come back to you!
Pia