Author Topic: starter strips=drone comb?!?!?! (Read 4764 times)

Mici · « **on:** April 10, 2007, 10:30:31 am »

ok..i could post this question in any other topic that already exists but i know it would yield less interest!

so...two days ago i put 2 starter strip frames in one and one starter strip frame in another hive. today i opened them both up and what i found out is that i'll have A LOT of drones in the nfollowing month! all 3 were built..i'd say 1/3 ALL drone comb and ALL lain!!!!
i'm concerned, will this go on, or will they start building smaller cells?!?!? i mean, i think they will but i'm still scared!!!

any replies appriciated!

Understudy · « **Reply #1 on:** April 10, 2007, 10:54:22 am »

If they are still laying standard brood don't sweat it.

If all you see is drone you may have a laying worker.

Now with that said I want to tell you this. If your bees are not regreesed and are in the process of doing it the worker cells will look like drone cells the first time that happened to me I freaked out. Then I saw a worker chew it's way out of the cap. I had to scratch my head several times before things added up. When you are looking frames of bubble cells and they all seem like drone it can be disconcerting. I had brood boxes completely like this. Yeah I freaked.

I would say take it easy breathe but keep on eye on it. If it goes to 50% of the frames then you may have a laying worker. See if you see multiple eggs in one cell.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Mici · « **Reply #2 on:** April 10, 2007, 11:24:17 am »

nah, it ain't laying worker, i saw eggs in "normal" comb, and in one hive i even spotted the queen.

hmm, first step of regresing is getting even larger, hard to believe, but if you say so. anyway, thanks brendhan! you really calmed me down

Understudy · « **Reply #3 on:** April 10, 2007, 11:32:33 am »

Take a look here. It isn't a great picture but if you blow it up you will see some of what freaked me out. I had frames of this.

http://www.brendhanhorne.com/coppermine_dir/displayimage.php?album=39&pos=57

Sincerely,
Brendhan

tillie · « **Reply #4 on:** April 10, 2007, 01:56:17 pm »

I think it is typical for them to be pretty chaotic when they first start building their own comb from starter. You saw the pictures of my messy hive. And in one of my hives, they started on one side only building drone comb and by the time they got to the center, it was much smaller capped worker comb.

Take a deep breath and hope for the best - we're all learning about this as we go, including the bees. They aren't used to having permission to do whatever they wish on the comb without the beekeeper operating under the illusion that he/she has control!

Linda T at work but would prefer to be at my hives

Scadsobees · « **Reply #5 on:** April 10, 2007, 01:59:56 pm »

If you have a hive full of regular comb drawn on foundation, the bees don't have a lot of opportunity to create drones. That is why burr comb is usually drone comb, in my experience.

So when you give them an empty frame, they will draw what they need, and that will most likely be drone comb. You can try to move that to the outside and let them fill it with honey, if you wish. It is unlikely that they will draw out worker comb on starter strips at this point. Timing can make a difference.

Honey storage comb is very large cell too, I find that they will draw empty supers out as drone comb too if I let them.

Rick

Kirk-o · « **Reply #6 on:** April 10, 2007, 02:30:29 pm »

Bees are pretty smart they know what to do don't worry about it to much
kirko

Mici · « **Reply #7 on:** April 10, 2007, 07:20:17 pm »

i hope for the best. the most reasurring statement is: "no matter what you do, the number of drones will be the same"

brendhan, correct me if i'm wrong but that looks like permacomb? is it?

Michael Bush · « **Reply #8 on:** April 10, 2007, 09:41:39 pm »

When they have had worker foundation and no chance to build drone comb, they will try to get that done. If you move the drone to the outside edges of the brood nest and continue to let them work the starter strips they will start making worker comb. If you remove the drone comb, they will build more drone comb.

Understudy · « **Reply #9 on:** April 10, 2007, 10:24:11 pm »

Quote from: Mici on April 10, 2007, 07:20:17 pm

i hope for the best. the most reasurring statement is: "no matter what you do, the number of drones will be the same"

brendhan, correct me if i'm wrong but that looks like permacomb? is it?

Congradulations you get the prize. Yes it is permacomb.
:mrgreen:

Sincerley,
Brendhan

tig · « **Reply #10 on:** April 11, 2007, 01:49:48 am »

i'm glad you brought this topic up. i was planning on trying started strips to regress my bees and im sure to have panicked if i saw all that drone comb too LOL!

Brian D. Bray · « **Reply #11 on:** April 14, 2007, 07:28:26 pm »

It must be remembered that with starter strips the bees are going to build comb in the same manner they would in the feral state. That is drone around the edges and smaller brood comb towards the center. Intermediate of transitional sized comb usually houses the honey stores and pollen for feeding the brood on that comb. When all is said and done the comb will look pretty much like any other frame of comb.

tig · « **Reply #12 on:** April 14, 2007, 08:56:06 pm »

i need to make drone comb for queen rearing but we dont have any here in my country. know of anyway to do this?

Understudy · « **Reply #13 on:** April 14, 2007, 10:22:46 pm »

Quote from: tig on April 14, 2007, 08:56:06 pm

i need to make drone comb for queen rearing but we dont have any here in my country. know of anyway to do this?

I am not sure I understand you intent. Bees make queen from worker cells not drone cells or drone comb.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

tig · « **Reply #14 on:** April 14, 2007, 10:51:56 pm »

i want to do some queen rearing and since we dont have any feral colonies in my country, i have to make a drone program to insure proper mating. thats why i need drone combs.

Understudy · « **Reply #15 on:** April 14, 2007, 10:55:22 pm »

Quote from: tig on April 14, 2007, 10:51:56 pm

i want to do some queen rearing and since we dont have any feral colonies in my country, i have to make a drone program to insure proper mating. thats why i need drone combs.

You can buy drone comb from pierco. Or you can use some of the large cell foundation.
Most hives make their own drones. The problem is you don't want to use those drones to mate with your queen you want drones from other hives to mate with your queen.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

tig · « **Reply #16 on:** April 14, 2007, 11:39:01 pm »

it will be difficult for me to import from the united states. i was hoping to make from starter strips if that would work. the colonies where i plan to get my grafts from will be located about 15 miles from the mating yard...that way im sure they wont interbreed. should i stimulate them to swarm so they make drone cells???

Understudy · « **Reply #17 on:** April 15, 2007, 01:59:17 am »

They should make drones without needing to be stimulated to swarm.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Mici · « **Reply #18 on:** April 20, 2007, 02:25:03 pm »

another lesson learned today, this ougtha bee written on every "starter strip page"
so...when getting your bees on starter strips-so on natural cell size, the first time you give them a starter strip to build, put in ONLY 1 starter strip frame!!! very important! this is why i have now 2 frames full of drone size comb, but later the bees found out they don't need so many drones so...it looks like a shotgun shot, few drones, hone, drones, honey...

on the other hand, the other colony, had enough drone cells all around, so the starter strip frame came out just great.

i guess bees do make mistakes :-D

Scadsobees · « **Reply #19 on:** April 20, 2007, 02:44:06 pm »

Tig,
if you are currently using foundation, just put an empty frame in the middle of the brood nest. They will probably draw out drone comb. They will only draw as much drone comb as they need.

-rick