Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Beesilly on May 12, 2008, 08:07:04 pm
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I just picked up a 10-frame deep hive of small-cell hybrid bees yesterday. Yippie! Got home around dusk and put them in a location with lots of morning/afternoon sun and shade in the evening sun. They are facing east. They are on foundation-less frames, and I belive there is about 5 frames filled with comb.
I got them with really old bee equipment, some of the wood is starting to fall apart in peices.. But, I know of a retired beekeeper that is selling his equipment, really cheaply. Hopefully they are in good shape. I'm planning on replacing the deep body (which is not even a deep, It's two 4 3/8H boxes stapled together), the bottom board and the cover. The inner cover is new. I would like a screened bottom board, and I will have to buy that. I also need to get an entarence reducer and a hive tool. Now some of you might be wondering why the heck I wasn't prepared before I got the bees?! Well, I was planning on putting a nuc in the TBH I built, and was all prepared for that. Then I just decided to get the established colony, and split them wither in June, or next year. Plans don't always go the way you want them to!
So when should I check back in them, to make sure everything is okay? Is a week too long/short? I would like to check back on Wensday, to make sure that no combs fell, and that the queen is okay. What should I do with the comb, if it fell? Hopefully there wont be any damaged comb! Wensday is going to be the warmest day this week, 72 degrees F. It's pretty chilly this week. Then this weekend I'm going away.
Thanks for any help! I now have to stuff myself with information about Langstroth hives, for I stuffed myself with TBH info before the bees.
Beesilly
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Check them when it's most convenient for you. There's no set schedule. It's one of those things where "experienced" beekeepers don't get into their hives as often, but the only way to get "experience" is to get into the hives. For new beekeepers to learn what's going on they are going to have to do inspections more often. It's disruptive, but really not that big of a deal for the bees.
Regarding the broken comb: depends. If it's a sizeable chunk, you might try to salvage it by using rubber bands to hold it in the frame - the bees will repair it. Good Luck!