OK...I have a few questions about manipulating bodies and frames.
I started two hives this year from packages, and using all medium supers. One is progressing text book fashion, the other just superseded their queen.
The strong hive has three mediums the upper two is packed full of honey and brood except for the wall frames they are half drawn. The lowest medium has empty cells where the nest use to be, also the outside four frames are just drawn out at the entrance end of the frame. It appears that the bees have moved up into the upper two bodies. The lower body does have a few capped brood, mostly empty, and honey around the outside of the frames.
1. Should I move the lower body to the top to force the bees to use it, before I put my honey super on? They are out of room in the upper body and are ready for the next step.
2. Should I turn the frames around in the lower body to force the bees to draw out the back of the frames? IE put the back of the frames toward the entrance.
The hive that replaced their queen, has only two medium bodies so far and is ready for the third medium body. Capped brood has just showed up from the new queen. While the hive was queenless they filled the top body with honey.
3. Should I put the new body with undrawn foundation under the body that is filled with honey? I have read that the queen will not cross frames of honey. Or should I put it on top? If so will the bees move the honey up into this body?
One last question, when the nectar flow has diminished for the summer and the bees are being fed syrup again should there be honey supers (empty) on the hive? In other words how do you know when to add honey supers after the main flow has stopped? How long will the hive be satisfied just living in their brood boxes? Around here I am told that there is another flow in the fall.
Thanks for any help, sorry the post is so long.
Hillbilly
Topic: Where Do I Put The Next Body (Read 1532 times)