News Item: : Saturday 3rd July 2010 Apiary Report
(Category: Misc)
Posted by Carole Brown
Thursday 15 July 2010 - 12:10:53
How to get Good Brood CombsWe replace brood combs in our colonies to help to keep our bees healthy. We try to do this annually, but invariably some frames go longer. Combs that are more than three years old are really too old.Many beekeepers don’t go about this in the best way and consequently the combs in their hives are often warped, have holes and gaps along the wires and the bottom bars and a high proportion of drone cells (bad for varroa control). Fit the foundation in the frames carefully. If it is just a bit too wide, trim it with a pair of scissors. Wax expands with heat and it is all too easy for it to bow.The Best Brood Frames are Not Drawn in the Brood Box. To draw out foundation well, bees need heat, lots of young bees and an incoming source of food (stored food doesn’t count). These conditions are best fulfilled in July or early August. The warmest place in a hive is just above the brood nest. Outside frames are the coldest and may need to be turned or moved in. Varroa mesh floors don’t help. If you absolutely have to get frames drawn in the brood box, put in the varroa tray for the duration. Those running double brood boxes will get better combs drawn in the upper box.There are two suggested methods for getting good comb drawn out –1) Use a brood box as a super. This is only really a good idea for small hives and even then a small brood box of honey could weigh 50lbs. Extract the honey (check that your extractor will take brood frames). Some colonies will still be producing drones in July, so this may mean some drone cells in the frames.2) The very best method is to wait until you have removed the supers, you will then have a large population of bees a bit tight for space. Treat with Apiguard and put on your eke, then your queen excluder and a brood box of foundation. Feed with quite a thin syrup; say 1½ lbs of sugar to a pint of water. The flow is likely to have stopped by late July. The aim is to get combs drawn out but not filled with syrup. You may need to move sides to middle, but a good colony should draw out the combs in about a week. Remove this upper brood box quickly before they fill it with ivy honey and store it safely. You will then have perfect brood combs, drawn right to the bottom bars ready to use for your artificial or shook swarms next year.Ref: NBU FAQ Sheet 32 “Replacing Brood Comb”.
This news item is from West Dorset Beekeepers
( http://westdorsetbees.org.uk/news.php?extend.37 )
(Category: Misc)
Posted by Carole Brown
Thursday 15 July 2010 - 12:10:53
How to get Good Brood CombsWe replace brood combs in our colonies to help to keep our bees healthy. We try to do this annually, but invariably some frames go longer. Combs that are more than three years old are really too old.Many beekeepers don’t go about this in the best way and consequently the combs in their hives are often warped, have holes and gaps along the wires and the bottom bars and a high proportion of drone cells (bad for varroa control). Fit the foundation in the frames carefully. If it is just a bit too wide, trim it with a pair of scissors. Wax expands with heat and it is all too easy for it to bow.The Best Brood Frames are Not Drawn in the Brood Box. To draw out foundation well, bees need heat, lots of young bees and an incoming source of food (stored food doesn’t count). These conditions are best fulfilled in July or early August. The warmest place in a hive is just above the brood nest. Outside frames are the coldest and may need to be turned or moved in. Varroa mesh floors don’t help. If you absolutely have to get frames drawn in the brood box, put in the varroa tray for the duration. Those running double brood boxes will get better combs drawn in the upper box.There are two suggested methods for getting good comb drawn out –1) Use a brood box as a super. This is only really a good idea for small hives and even then a small brood box of honey could weigh 50lbs. Extract the honey (check that your extractor will take brood frames). Some colonies will still be producing drones in July, so this may mean some drone cells in the frames.2) The very best method is to wait until you have removed the supers, you will then have a large population of bees a bit tight for space. Treat with Apiguard and put on your eke, then your queen excluder and a brood box of foundation. Feed with quite a thin syrup; say 1½ lbs of sugar to a pint of water. The flow is likely to have stopped by late July. The aim is to get combs drawn out but not filled with syrup. You may need to move sides to middle, but a good colony should draw out the combs in about a week. Remove this upper brood box quickly before they fill it with ivy honey and store it safely. You will then have perfect brood combs, drawn right to the bottom bars ready to use for your artificial or shook swarms next year.Ref: NBU FAQ Sheet 32 “Replacing Brood Comb”.
This news item is from West Dorset Beekeepers
( http://westdorsetbees.org.uk/news.php?extend.37 )