Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: RangerBrad on June 08, 2009, 07:01:28 pm
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Put installed my two 4# packages on HSC frames last Monday and checked them last Thursday. The queens had been released but, I couldn't find them in the hives. I had ordered marked and clipped queens but those I received were neither. There was no brood however there was plenty of uncapped honey in the cells. The hives are very active and are taking syrup well and also taking the water from the boardman feeders well also and staying away from my swim pool which makes my wife happy. They were putting honey in appx.both sides of 4-5 frames. I intend to leave them be for about 3 weeks and check again. What says yal about this. Thank's, Brad
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i would check every week until you know you have eggs. after that, you can take time off. if they are filling the brood area with nectar, you can rotate those frames toward the outside, but if they are just filling the tops, that's normal. they will store honey over the brood nest. make sure that there are no eggs and brood on frames that you rotate toward the outside. you do not want to break up the brood nest.
you should be able to see eggs or small larvae in another week or so.
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It could take a couple weeks for the queen to get real busy. At first there usually spotty. Least most of mine have been. After a couple weeks they seem to get down to business.
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The one thing I am noticing that makes me wonder is the lack of pollen. I've been watching them closely coming in and out of the hive and have yet to see them bring in any pollen in their pollen baskets. Is this normal till the queen starts laying? I'm really hesitant to open the hive for a few weeks as it might set them back and I feel that each time I open the hive I run the risk of killing the queen during inspection. This time of year how long should I feed syrup. The queen may be a little reluctant to lay on this HSC frame and I don't want them to become honey bound(is there a connection)? Anyway, all yals advice is appreciated. Thank's, Brad
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Did you spray the HSC down with sugar syrup and/or spread some wax on it. I had a terrible time getting the queens to lay in the HSC. They stored honey in it if there was no where else and eventually if there was a flow on, the queen would lay in the HSC. After a round or two of laying in it, the queens accept it fine.
Also, the eggs and young larve are harder to see in the HSC than anything else I have used until they get used some and darken up. Use a magnifying glass to help and you will need the sun over your shoulder and you will need to change angles of the frame until you get the light just right to be able to see in the cell.
I too would check weekly. Just be real careful. Pull the outside frame 1st and work your way in and then reverse your pattern. Be slow to push the frames back together to let any bees get out the way from where the frames touch each other.
They will bring in pollen before the queen starts laying. Seems odd that there is no pollen around this time of year but I don't know much about Arkansas. Look in the frames for pollen as well.