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Author Topic: TBH Full!!  (Read 3090 times)

Offline mtbe

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TBH Full!!
« on: May 09, 2011, 11:15:39 am »
Just did an inspection on my two TBHs, each 4 ft long, by 14" wide (sloped sides, so the base is about 9" wide).

These hives are about 3 years old.

The queens are laying like crazy.  About 3/4 or more of the box is full of brood, leaving only about 7 bars in the back for storage.

One of the boxes had a lot of queen cells (is that the proper name for the cells where they are making a new queen?), the other did not.

I do have a 3rd empty box, if there is some management I can do to move them...but without a 3rd queen, not sure.

I am not too concerned with swarming.  I don't want to freak the neighbors, but believe swarming provides some good for all.  This is a hobby, and I'm not concerned with maximum honey production.

Are there any actions I need to take to 'thin the herd' or better manage these hives?  Should I start culling the queen cells?

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: TBH Full!!
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2011, 11:18:59 am »
Split and give both parts some queen cells.  Never cull queen cells.  You'll just end up queenless.  Odds are if they are capped they already swarmed.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Offline mtbe

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Re: TBH Full!!
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2011, 11:22:48 am »
So I can take bars, some with queen cells (not capped), from both hives and combine them into the third?

Would there be an issue with the bees in the new box leaving to find their original queen's scent?  These boxes are right next to each other.

Offline hardwood

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Re: TBH Full!!
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2011, 11:23:40 am »
Either take the queen away from the hive with queen cells along with a couple of bars of brood and some honey/pollen and put them in the 3rd TBH to create a false swarm or leave them on their own.

It sounds as if the one with lots of queen cells is about to swarm if it hasn't already.

I don't agree with just letting them swarm but that is their nature.

Scott
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

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Offline Tommyt

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Re: TBH Full!!
« Reply #4 on: May 09, 2011, 09:47:38 pm »
Were the tbh is with the Qcells I'd take 60% of the bars including the Queen and put them in the new empty one
I would then move,it as far as you can from the original spot ,after a few weeks you can move it right next door to the original.
Like hardwood said your making a false swarm
Hope it works  :?
also do something ASAP because when they build a lot of cells they are going
 So you need to try and get them before they go on their own :'(
also if you can build a couple smaller tbh real fast do it and put a little Lemon grass oil
in them and hope to catch the swarm if your other method don't work

Good Luck
Tommyt
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: TBH Full!!
« Reply #5 on: May 09, 2011, 10:28:11 pm »
Next door works if you shake extra bees in or face them both to the old location and don't leave a hive at the old location.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin