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Author Topic: Bees aren't building in 2nd super  (Read 3984 times)

Offline threehives

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Bees aren't building in 2nd super
« on: January 09, 2017, 12:57:12 am »
Hi All

I am just wondering if it is normal for bees to stall a little when you place on a second super. I have noticed in most of my hives that they filled the first box up with comb very quickly and I have placed a second box on the majority of my hives but they all seem a bit reluctant to start building in the second box. I even under supered a few to see if this would make any difference but it hasn't seemed to. I am thinking it could just be the timing and I have placed a second box on when things have finished flowering which has slowed them down a bit? most of them were 80% full when I put the second box on so I don't think i put the 2nd box on to soon but maybe I did? any thoughts?

Phill

Offline Dalon

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Re: Bees aren't building in 2nd super
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2017, 07:07:38 am »
Hi Phil,

I'm observing the same here in Sydney. They filled and capped the first box by mid-December (around 80%) when I added the second box, since then the flow has been low with little comb building on the new frames. Where are you located?

Leon

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Bees aren't building in 2nd super
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2017, 12:32:26 pm »
The bees will not move up until the decision is made by the hive to move up. Sometimes we will move a honey frame or a brood frame into the new super to make them think that they decided but it does not always work. You just swap a full frame with an empty frame between the new and existing boxes.
If the flow has stopped or there are not enough bees in the hive, they will not move.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Offline threehives

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Re: Bees aren't building in 2nd super
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2017, 08:55:16 pm »
Im in Wagga Wagga, NSW. Im hoping the eucalyptus trees will start to flower soon and they will continue to grow. I might try moving a drawn frame into the second box and see what happens.

Offline 220

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Re: Bees aren't building in 2nd super
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2017, 09:43:26 pm »
I'm only 80km away (Adelong) although my bees are at Batlow.
Not a lot in bloom around home, a few thistles and a bit of wort, still have clover and blackberries flowering as well as a few varieties of thistle, wort and some of the native shrubs where my bees are so all 3 of my hives are still drawing comb.

Are you a member of the Wagga beekeeping club ?

 

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