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Author Topic: The drones are gettin the boot  (Read 1534 times)

Offline BeeV

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The drones are gettin the boot
« on: August 14, 2011, 11:17:24 pm »
The setup- on a FULL deep, I tried to add a medium to give the girls some room but they didn't like it and refused to draw the first bit of comb (plastic foundation from a different supplier). I thought it was the foundation and I didn't have any wax to paint it with, so I ordered some of the foundation I had in my deep. (they didn't seem to have a problem with it) I thought that I would try an experiment and replace four frames with the good stuff and add a couple of foundation-less frames to see which they would build on first. Nada, Zip, they weren't gonna play. It was suggested that I put the medium on the bottom to see if they would do anything. A week later I did a quick check and discovered they had started to build on the good stuff and the foundation-less so I left them alone for two weeks and checked that bottom box more thoroughly last week. What I discovered was, the original foundation was drawn just a touch, the good stuff was mostly drawn but had just a spot or two of honey and pollen but no eggs or brood, but both the foundation-less frames were fully drawn top to bottom with capped brood both sides. All drones! Evidently they all hatched cause I watched the girls kicking them to the curb for the last two days. Will they use that comb for anything else or should I just wait for them to refill it and pull it for mite control? 
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.

Offline kingbee

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Re: The drones are gettin the boot
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2011, 11:48:20 pm »
... fully drawn top to bottom with capped brood both sides. All drones!

Evidently they all hatched cause I watched the girls kicking them to the curb...


Seems early for here unless there is nothing coming into the hive.  What time of day did you see this?

Offline BeeV

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Re: The drones are gettin the boot
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2011, 06:10:00 am »
All day Sat and Sunday. Dead drones cover the ground in front of the hive. There's not anything coming in that I can tell. I started to worry about them starving so I started feeding over the weekend.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.

Offline BrentX

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Re: The drones are gettin the boot
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2011, 10:50:46 pm »
When first going foundationless many of us have experienced the first comb drawn is heavy in drone comb.  This is the bees bringing the comb into balance with their needs, as the comb built on foundation does not provide enough space for drones to be in balance.  Later foundationless frames will have much less drone comb.

After hatching all the drones they need the bees will pack that comb with LOTS of honey.  Let them do it. 


Offline VolunteerK9

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Re: The drones are gettin the boot
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2011, 09:34:14 am »
After hatching all the drones they need the bees will pack that comb with LOTS of honey.  Let them do it. 



Not sure if they will store honey below the brood nest though. If your foundationless is drawn, I would place the medium back on top of the stack.