Agriculture Industry

JB · Guest

I'm a first time beekeeper that started two hives on May 5th, beginning with
2 - five frame nucs. The bees made rapid progress drawing comb and laying
eggs and adding brood to fill out the frames in the hive so last week (the
19th) I added a second deep hive body and hive top feeder. (I'd used a frame
feeder earlier but I switched to the HTF because it would allow access to
add syrup, and more of it, without opening the hive and taking up space.)
I'm using the feeder temporarily to assist the bees in drawing comb on the
new foundation in the new addition and then they'll be on their own. I'm
thinking that after they finish this last round of syrup (a total of 4
gallons per hive) they'll have the new frames pretty well drawn out.

Here's my question: Should I go ahead and install the queen excluder above
the hive bodies and place on a honey super for the bees to begin working on
or should I wait on doing this? And, if I do go ahead and install my honey
super, should I use the HTF to jump start the bees in drawing comb in this?
I'd like to try and make comb honey. I know you're not supposed to feed when
you're making honey but would feeding put me farther along to getting honey
than if I didn't?

TIA

John

Freddie Cooke · Guest

Hi John, In the UK, even with the recent development of rotational Rapeseed
and other oil/feed cropping we get a dip in nectar flow during June, the so
called June-gap, not really a big problem thesedays in most places. Not
sure if you get similar gaps in flow.
Anyway it sounds to me like you can go ahead and let the bees alone now. It
sounds as if they are well settled in and developing a healthy colony. Keep
an eye on the brood every 9 to 11 days to check for laying and possible
signs of disease and heft the rear of the hive whenever you visit them. That
way you will develop a sense, without having to open up, of their expanding
stores and the converse as the season declines towards winter.

Best wishes, Freddie.