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Weak Hive Worry

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tillie:
My weak hive began the season with a little more than four frames of bees in a medium which was the top box of the hive.  I took off the deep below it and moved the hive to be an all-medium hive, with all SC starter strips in the frames. 

1.  The first box had the original four or five frames of regular cells with small (not football sized) brood area but full and done well.
2.  Over time the queen finally filled 8 or 10 frames of that box, so I added a second medium.  In this box I put three frames of SC foundation in positions 2 6 and 8 or something like that and the rest SC starter strips. 
3.  The bees did not cooperate well - it took them FOREVER to use that box, but two weeks ago, the queen was laying in that box - I saw her.  They had built out the middle six frames .
4.  On the outer frames, they were not festooning, nothing.

This hive sits on the front porch all day.  Lots of bees sitting, few foraging.  They do continue to raise brood and the box is full and buzzing when I open it - bees at both levels.

I'm concerned with all the porch sitting.  My other two hives have a constant golden stream of bees flying in and out. 

Should I put on a honey super even though they haven't built out 8 frames on the second brood box?  I have a medium for honey ready to go with 7-11 foundation - if I use that will that mess the whole SC system up?

Linda T confused with rebellious bees.

Understudy:
Don't add anything.
Rotate the empty frames from the outside toward the inside. Alternating between full frames.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

tillie:
Thank you, Brendhan.  You have ever more come to my rescue today, both with answering my panic over the surprise swarm on the deck and now with this good plan.  I'll do that in the morning and put the 7-11 comb on the Mellona hive which has now filled at least three honey supers and is really going great.

Linda T in Atlanta where it is raining.

Understudy:

--- Quote from: tillie on May 11, 2007, 11:03:43 pm ---Linda T in Atlanta where it is raining.

--- End quote ---

Send me rain. Level 3 drought restrictions hit here today. Limited to one day a week for out side watering between 4-8 am. Next restriction is inside use only.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

tillie:
I inspected this hive today and it was doing better than I thought.  Both boxes had fully built out 8 or 9 frames, so I went ahead and added another medium with SC starter strips.  I did while in the brood box, take the unbuilt frames from the outside edge and feed them in to the middle.

Linda T in ATlanta

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