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Author Topic: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again  (Read 3992 times)

Offline Sean Kelly

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Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« on: May 16, 2007, 03:13:13 pm »
Just put on my second hive body yesterday.  The frames are all brand new undrawn foundation (Mann Lake Rite Cell w/wax coating).  Do I need to feed my bees sugar syrup again to help them draw out the foundation like I did with the first box a month ago?
Should I move any of the frames from the first box to the second box or just leave the top one with all the new foundation and let the bees do their work?

Thanks again!

Sean Kelly
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Offline newbee101

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2007, 06:23:00 pm »
I would like to hear the answer to that.
"To bee or not to bee"

Offline doak

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2007, 07:50:32 pm »
If this box is intended for brood and you "do not" have a really good nector flow, Yes, feed indeed.
doak

Offline Sean Kelly

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2007, 06:11:23 am »
Doak,
The box is intended for brood.  The bees seem to have a pretty good storage of honey in their old box, but I'm not really sure how to tell if there is a really good nector flow.  I haven't used the hive feeder in almost 3 weeks and they seem to be doing fine without it.  Should I feed em anyway?  Would it hurt?

Also, should I move any of the brood and honey frames from the original hive body to the new one to encourage them to draw out the new foundation?

Thanks again!

Sean Kelly
"My son,  eat  thou honey,  because it is good;  and the honeycomb,  which is sweet  to thy taste"          - Proverbs 24:13

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2007, 09:26:21 am »
They won't draw comb unless there is something coming in.  If there's a flow, they will build comb on that.  If not, then I'd feed.
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Offline Sean Kelly

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2007, 04:24:11 pm »
I'll check the hive in a few days.  If no drawn comb, I'll go ahead and start feeding again.  Scotch Broom and daisys are in bloom like crazy here.  I'm hoping that's our nectar flow.  Oh yeah black berries are blooming too now.

Sean Kelly
"My son,  eat  thou honey,  because it is good;  and the honeycomb,  which is sweet  to thy taste"          - Proverbs 24:13

Offline shakerbeeman

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2007, 06:07:57 pm »
I installed two packages into 5 frame nucs on Tuesday. I purchased another 5 frame body to add for the brood chambers however I now have two medium 8 frame bodies ready with the SB and SSB and more to come. Perhaps I should just load the 5 frames into the new hives rather that the extra step. Any comments? I plan to have top entries.

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2007, 07:26:08 pm »
Their should be a good reason for feeding.  Overfeeding is bad management in my book. 
If you're trying to develop the hive without any forage plants, then OK feed.  But if there is forage available I'd let the bees be bees.  Believe it or not, They will decrease their syrup intake as the flow ebbs. 
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Offline Sean Kelly

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2007, 06:37:06 am »
Well, I went ahead and put the feeder back on.  Right away the bees started guzzling it up like crazy. 

Maybe it's too soon to tell, but the bees seem to be ignoring the new hive body I put on top.  I moved a couple frames of honey (no brood) up top thinking it might encourage them to start working on the new foundation.  Think it will work?

Thanks again guys!!

Sean Kelly
"My son,  eat  thou honey,  because it is good;  and the honeycomb,  which is sweet  to thy taste"          - Proverbs 24:13

Offline newbee07

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2007, 08:44:15 am »
I always take 1 frame of brood and 1 frame of haney and spray the empty foundations with sugar water all this in new top body. You will want to put the brood in the center and honey on one outer. Also the lower body you take from install the new frame on the outer side also.

this workes well with me.

Offline Sean Kelly

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2007, 07:29:03 pm »
Wanted to give you guys an update.  It's been a day and a half since I started feeding them syrup again and they're taking it almost 100 times faster than they did when they were just a package.  So far I've had to fill the 1 quart mason jar twice!  I also noticed they were very agressive.  Normally they've been VERY calm and I thought this was pretty weird.  I'm gunna inspect the hive on Monday or Tuesday to see if they're drawing comb in the new super yet.  I moved a couple frames of honey from the bottom box up top to see if that would help any.  Didn't think about spraying the frames with syrup.  Maybe I'll try that if they're not drawing it out yet.

Oh yeah, a word of advice to the new guys:  Don't take the jar off the enterance feeder in the middle of the day to see if they're doing anything.  Yeah, that made them really mad!  Had a baseball size cluster of bees come apart and right at my face!  Thank God I didn't get stung.  :-)

Sean Kelly
"My son,  eat  thou honey,  because it is good;  and the honeycomb,  which is sweet  to thy taste"          - Proverbs 24:13

Offline newbee07

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #11 on: May 19, 2007, 11:19:36 pm »
I fed mine today also and got stung 3 times on one hive. I think the syup makes them more aggresive. :evil:

Offline n9kww

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #12 on: May 20, 2007, 02:46:58 pm »
During any warm day, it is like taking candy away from a baby they will cry!!!
If they are eating it they probable need it. Mine stop eating it when the nectar flow gets going. Until then feed um it’s safer to feed than not. If they starve, you’re not going to get ahead. allot of folks believe in the let the bees do what ever they want, I agree to a point, but it is really bad management to ignore a starving hive. They can't make wax and expand foundation with honey or sugar water. If they don't have one you need to give them the other.
Ron

Offline shakerbeeman

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #13 on: May 20, 2007, 02:50:51 pm »
Can I use a boardman feeder in a top entry?

Offline n9kww

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #14 on: May 20, 2007, 06:41:50 pm »
If it fits, i don't see any problem. Just make sure they room to get in and out. The type of feeder is a personal choice, I like to use boardman feeders because i can see what is going on and can change them without opening up and disturbing the hive.
Ron

Offline Sean Kelly

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #15 on: May 20, 2007, 07:04:55 pm »
Went and checked on the girls this afternoon.  Honey stores are finally built back up.  They seem happy again but are still pretty agressive... and I now know why!  Each time I've gone out there I've been wearing a red t-shirt instead of my bee suit (I've been lazy).  They were totally upset with me so I came back in and put on my suit.  What a difference!  It was like they didn't even know I was there!  So I guess I need to by some white t-shirts if I'm gunna be lazy.  lol

Still no new drawn comb on the new box.  They're still guzzling up the syrup, a quart a day.

N8KWW, this is W7SPK!  Good to see another ham on here!  Our great host, Beemaster, is also a ham N2CIW.  There's a bunch of beekeeping hams on here.  I think we need a hamkeeping sub forum on here.  lol

Sean Kelly
"My son,  eat  thou honey,  because it is good;  and the honeycomb,  which is sweet  to thy taste"          - Proverbs 24:13

Offline Zoot

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #16 on: May 21, 2007, 12:45:58 am »
I'd be worried about supporting the jar on a Boardman feeder (I've used a 1 gal. jars in the past). Without a bottom board to sit on I'd imagine it would be difficult. I like the convenience of using them but have found that they can promote robbing.

Interesting to hear about bees being edgy at midday - I find the hives more approachable then regardless of whether I'm feeding or whatever. Cloudy, cool or even rainy weather, going in too early or late seems to piss them off more

Offline beeginner

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Re: Second Hive Body and Feeding Syrup again
« Reply #17 on: May 25, 2007, 12:33:01 am »
Hey sean how are you. I have 2 hives at the house now and  im feeding them but with a tin can or what ever in side the hive. I just get a super with out frames and put that on and the can right ontop of the frames with some holes in the lid. The inspecter siad thats the best why to feed them. Hear the more we feed the more honey Ill get down with the  soybeens  in south ar. It just gives them a nice jump start. We are gonna move 46 hives down south with my 2 and we will still have some hear. I think ed said we will move them on the 4th of july.

 

anything