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Offline mat

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foundation
« on: March 27, 2006, 09:07:44 am »
When can I start giving foundation? Do they need nectar flow?
mat

Offline Kirk-o

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foundation
« Reply #1 on: March 27, 2006, 09:37:26 am »
Hey Buddy

Bees need a nectar flow or honey flow what ever you want to call it
to draw comb,when I hive a swarm or install a package I put in a feeder to get them going and so they can draw comb maybe you can expand your question so it would be easier to answer
kirko
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Offline mat

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foundation
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2006, 10:52:01 am »
Hi Kirko,
I have two hives . They are doing very well, a lot of bees, queens are laying, they are bringing pollen although there is nothing green yet.  Several days ago when I was checking on them there was quiet a lot of them hanging under the inner covers. I was wondering if they are the young ones who have nothing to do. Then the idea of giving them some foundation came to me.
mat

Offline Finsky

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foundation
« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2006, 12:09:54 pm »
Quote from: mat
Hi Kirko,
I have two hives . They are doing very well, a lot of bees, queens are laying, they are bringing pollen although there is nothing green yet.


When you have so early spring, you have situation that wintered bees will die before summer. It nees time that new bees emerge and colony  start to grow. During this time tehre no reason to give tehm foundations or more room.

Quote
 
 Several days ago when I was checking on them there was quiet a lot of them hanging under the inner covers. I was wondering if they are the young ones who have nothing to do. .


Surely they are doing their job there, what ever it is.

When bees build combs they must be over 12 days old. They are then foraging age. If bees have nothing to do, comb building is the last what they do.


Bees make new combs only if

1) they need space for eggs
2) cells are going to be filled with nectar and they need more storeroom.

Otherwise bees save energy and do not make combs beforehand.

In my country cardens and dandelions are blooming before they want to draw even one foundation.

Offline mat

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foundation
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2006, 03:27:24 pm »
Thank you Finsky, I'll wait.
mat

Offline TwT

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foundation
« Reply #5 on: March 27, 2006, 08:48:07 pm »
what foundation is it your tring to get drawn out, brood boxes or supers or just some extra frames? to me if the hive's are full of bee's and they are bringing in pollin I would put foundation on them and start feeding sugar syrup, they will draw it out... but when the flow starts you dont want the sugar syrup in with your honey...
THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

Never be afraid to try something new.
Amateurs built the ark,
Professionals built the Titanic

Offline leominsterbeeman

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« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2006, 11:45:10 pm »
Mat -

Are these bees from last year or new this year?  in Mass at the end of march you should only have brood boxes with sugar syrup on the hive - no honey supers.

YOu don't want to be expanding the brood chamber too fast, either this time of year,  it's going to be in the 70's tomorrow, but we know that won't last.    

If you have a colony from last year  - it should be in 2 deeps or 3 or 4 mediums.     If its a small colony, then it may be in one deep or 2 mediums.   Keep it that way until you get 6 full frames of brood.    

it's better if you call me and i can explain.
Michael Keane
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http://www.leominsterbeeman.com

Offline Finsky

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« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2006, 12:24:27 am »
Hi Mat!
When I look you forecast, I can see that you have not summer yet. Do you have apple trees in blossom? When you have gardens in blossom, you may offer one or two  of foudations to be build. So you see what happens.  http://www.wunderground.com/US/MA/Franklin.html

But if you have situation that you have not ready combs and your hive swells to yard then you give the foundation box.

Offline mat

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« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2006, 10:20:43 am »
It has been abnormaly warm here. Nothing is green yet, there are crocuses, at least in my yard, there are willows. They are bringing a lot of pollen. I have one hive on two deeps and one shellow super, and the other one on two deeps. There is brood in both deeps in eather of them, and plenty of food and full of bees. I thing the queens need more room for laying, and I am thinking of giving them more frames with comb.
mat

Offline Finsky

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« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2006, 01:31:00 pm »
Quote from: mat
I thing the queens need more room for laying, and I am thinking of giving them more frames with comb.


Even if queen may lay more eggs , bees are not able to keep brood warm. In my country when willow is blooming, there is time not at all to give more room.  When grass is about 4 " long, apple trees are blooming, bees need more room.

When you look inside hive and every gap is evenly full of bees, it is time to consider new box.  

But when we have crocuses in blossom, it takes one month we may put more room.  LEARN to look inside how much you have bees on combs.
Take away extra winterfood if there are more than 2 full frames food. Give them back later.

First give combs what you have and then give foundations when they store honey in combs.