Markypoo 425 Posted March 24 So just over two weeks ago we harvested the honey out of the school hives. We were using the scrape technique to get the honey and wax off the plastic foundation. I popped the wets back on the hive they came from. While I was there, I removed the queen excluder. Currently the hive has 2 fd boxes with the 3/4 box of honey super wets on top. Today I popped the lid to see what they had done to the wets (being my first honey harvest and all). To my surprise I saw this. I say surprise but I tried to run the hive without an excluder and found the queen laying in the top box early in the season. So she has a history of climbing to the top. They have drawn out most of the frames, apart from a couple only half done. Clearly lots of nectar coming from somewhere. They are going to be going into winter with a stack of stores. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tudor 1526 Posted March 24 You can see why using one size frames throughout (3/4) prevents the trouble you may be running into with a free range queen ... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Markypoo 425 Posted March 24 10 hours ago, tudor said: You can see why using one size frames throughout (3/4) prevents the trouble you may be running into with a free range queen ... The trouble is, when you are a newbie, it is hard to find a nuc that is not FD, so it sort of forces everyone to use FD frames and supers at the start. I am trying to transition now. I am going to move a couple of hives to topbars so that will free up some frames. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor Gillbanks 6238 Posted March 24 2 hours ago, Markypoo said: The trouble is, when you are a newbie, it is hard to find a nuc that is not FD, so it sort of forces everyone to use FD frames and supers at the start. I am trying to transition now. I am going to move a couple of hives to topbars so that will free up some frames. There are a lot of us who only sell 3/4 NUC's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cBank 786 Posted March 28 On 25/03/2019 at 12:56 PM, Trevor Gillbanks said: There are a lot of us who only sell 3/4 NUC's. You weren’t easily found when I needed them. Wish I had. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor Gillbanks 6238 Posted March 28 I don't advertise. I just sell what I have surplus. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cBank 786 Posted March 28 On 25/03/2019 at 10:13 AM, Markypoo said: The trouble is, when you are a newbie, it is hard to find a nuc that is not FD, so it sort of forces everyone to use FD frames and supers at the start. I am trying to transition now. I am going to move a couple of hives to topbars so that will free up some frames. It’s probably a good opportunity to clean clean out all the brood frames. I popped a few extracted wets in the brood box and they have come up really nice. However I got a little burned when I put an old brood frame up way too high in a super and they turned 5-6 eggs into queens. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Josh 376 Posted March 29 On 25/03/2019 at 10:13 AM, Markypoo said: The trouble is, when you are a newbie, it is hard to find a nuc that is not FD, so it sort of forces everyone to use FD frames and supers at the start. I am trying to transition now. I am going to move a couple of hives to topbars so that will free up some frames. Transition is pretty quick, when you have enough gear. Don’t throw out your old FD boxes either. Mine are endlessly useful for storage of frames, ventilation top boxes above an inner cover with meshed hole etc. I fact I ran out of FD boxes, and had to buy one even though I’m a ¾ beek 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Markypoo 425 Posted March 29 I have a labour pool ready and able to help lift heavy supers should I get old and frail. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alastair 7157 Posted March 29 On 24/03/2019 at 9:58 PM, Markypoo said: To my surprise I saw this. I say surprise but I tried to run the hive without an excluder and found the queen laying in the top box early in the season. So she has a history of climbing to the top. As do all queens if they can. You just found out why people use excluders. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tudor 1526 Posted March 29 Some people - and why the queen lays lower down when the bees store honey in the upper boxes. And the honey with some pollen in it is complex and delicious ... for hobby bee keepers. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kiwi Bee 559 Posted March 30 @Markypoonext time leave the wets on for only 3-4 days. Two weeks is too much and the queen will move up there - warmer over there. Or you can use a division board with a small hole(20-40mm) or a top feeder too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Markypoo 425 Posted March 31 On 30/03/2019 at 9:39 AM, Alastair said: As do all queens if they can. You just found out why people use excluders. I did, I also suspect that I harvested too early. There is still quite a decent flow on. But I removed the excluder after I harvested. Oh well. Another new thing learnt. At least I won't be feeding them sugar this winter. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sailabee 696 Posted March 31 Try standing under the nearest willow tree, I did on Friday, and there were so many bees and wasps working the GWA honeydew, so what they are bringing in will not be that useful as feed, if your bees are doing the same. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kevin moore 632 Posted April 10 On 25/03/2019 at 12:56 PM, Trevor Gillbanks said: There are a lot of us who only sell 3/4 NUC's. yes same here, 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
