JCLARK, KATHYP, AND MUSTBEENUTS

[harvey]

Hello all,   This is Harvey from the thumb of michigan.  I did do an inspection today of both the bottom and top deep.  The top deep is about half honey two or three frames capped both sides.  outside frames, the inside frames all had a lot of honey and some brood,  I didn't take a picture but some of the capped brood looked bigger than others?  At first I thought queen cell?  it was on the very top of the frame of the second deep.  It might just have been brood in bur comb.  The bottom deep had brood in it and some honey, not much capped.  The bottom deep was much lighter than the top deep.  The super that is on now has eight frames of honey but only three that are capped.  I would like to wait a week or two and let them cap the super all the way if they will. 
   Do yall think it is ok to keep the super on for a couple more weeks?  There is still a lot of golden here.  Then when I do pull it,  should i set out my chick feeder with sugar water?  and if so how late in the year do you feed.   First year, first hive and I think they are doing ok.  I saw no signs of wax moth, no unpleasant odors,  no dead larva on the bottom board, actually I was suprised the bottom board looks as clean as when I set the hive. 

[jclark96]

I don't know if I am the right person but that sounds about right for this time of year. If you pulled any honey off at all you would be doing pretty well for a first year hive. The hive is slowing down brood prodution to get ready for winter. If you don't have any problems--SHB, Mites--that you need to treat for, then you can leave your super on for a little while longer. The big if is when does it get too cold for the bees to break the cluster to get food? If they don't have enough stores for winter close by they will starve.

[MustbeeNuts]

I think you can wait, I have a couple hives I am givng them time to finish off there supers. It sounds like they did OK,but good enough, in contrast some packages will net you 2-3 supers first year. then again depends on area and food sources. you say the lower is light, thats kinda the way it happens, since the super is already full of uncapped honey I would start to feed them pretty darn soon, six weeks to frost. a chick feeder would be fine but I would take an empty super and put it on top, then take a couple small shims of wood and set a quart jar on top with some holes in the lid and let them feed that way. Put the top back on,,, works for me. fill it every couple days. or find something slightly larger . I do this now.




FEED As long as they will take it. once it gets too clold they will stop taking the syrup.  let them back fill the deeps. weight should be at least 80lbs per deep.
 if you get any honey first year your doing good.   Later on when its getting really cold, sugar them, (Mid to late Oct) put a sheet of newspaper on top of the frames, cut a couple slits, little ones then add an empty super, dump a bag of sugar on top of that newspaper,then the top. it will pick up humidity. add insulatiion and on warm days the bees can eat it form the bottom.
If the bees are cleaning the bottom board they are doing just what they are supposed to do. Nice and hygentic.  

[JP]

Hello all,   This is Harvey from the thumb of michigan.  I did do an inspection today of both the bottom and top deep.  The top deep is about half honey two or three frames capped both sides.  outside frames, the inside frames all had a lot of honey and some brood,  I didn't take a picture but some of the capped brood looked bigger than others?  At first I thought queen cell?  it was on the very top of the frame of the second deep.  It might just have been brood in bur comb. 

Without pics, hard to varify, but sounds like drone brood.


...JP