new bee-keeper

[jreel]

Hello all my name is Jay Reel. My wife and I are first year bee-keepers. We got or bees and hived them two days ago. I forgot to put the slatted rack onto the hive as the hive had been assembled prior to recieving the rack. The question I have is this. Will it disturb the bees too much if in a week or so during my first inspection I add the rack to the hive? I also put the entrance reducer in with the hole down. I have watched the bees the last two days and they do not seem to have a problem. Is it in the bees best interest to filp the reduser up so the entrance does'nt get clogged or will it be fine? Help of any sort is greatly appreciated.

resp. Jay Reel

[Robo]

Shouldn't be a problem with adding the slatted rack. Just try to do it as no disruptive as possible.  I would just pick the hive body off the bottom board and have someone slip in the rack and then set the hive body down.

The entrance reducer shouldn't be a problem either.  The bees are active enough this time of year to keep the entrance clean.  Blocked entrances become an issue during winter when there is a high mortality rate and limited activity to keep the entrance clean.

[jreel]

is ther a certain time this should be done?

[Robo]

It shouldn't take more than 30sec for one person to pick the hive off the bottom board and the other person to slip the rack in.  I don't think what time really matters.  If you do it mid day,  there will be less bees in the hive (out foraging) but more traffic coming and going.  If you do it after dark,  there will be more bees, but no traffic.  Since it is a package, the number of bees is still relatively small and will most likely be up in the hive at night, so I would probably do it after dark.

[jreel]

thank you for the help

[Robo]

Keep us informed of how it goes.

[jreel]

Just finished my first inspection. I am proud to report it went through without a hitch. My only concern, and it's small is how many bees if any should be dead in the top feeder? There was about 25-30 dead bees in the top feeder. I am fairly sure the cover was on snugly. I got three large burr-combs from on and around the queens cage. At first I did not see any eggs on the burr-comb untill further inspection in my kitchen. Eggs were visible on the two surounding frames aswell. My slatted rack was a much easier install then I figured. I took robo's advise and left the entrance reduser as is. One last question I have is when do I know when to stop feeding the bees with the top feeder?

[Robo]

Just keep an eye on how much of the syrup they are storing.  As long as they are consuming it to build wax,  keep giving it.  If they are storing it and blocking up too much space preventing room for the queen to lay eggs, then stop.  When a good nectar flow starts, they will stop taking syrup.

[jreel]

ok im not certain on what exactly the "nector" flow is or how to tell when it has started.i have noticed the bees briging pollen into the hive if thats it...?

[Robo]

You don't necessarily have to worry about the nectar flow.  When it starts, the bees will stop taking your syrup (they prefer natural over the syrup).  What you need to watch for is that while they are taking syrup, they don't store too much away and clog up the brood area.  If they store too much away, they will become syrup bound (no room for the queen to lay eggs because the cells all have syrup in them).

[jreel]

ok new question.is there anywhere to buy a strainer that isnt over a hundred bucks? also for the knowledge how would i go about getting the material(wax mold?) to make my own frames?

[manowar422]

Why not go foundation-less :o

I use solid bottom bars and beveled top bars
and let the bees make the entire comb structure 8)

IMO most of the wax used for the  manufacturing
of foundation comes from sources using chemicals
in their hives. :x

I no longer buy foundation of any kind :)

[jreel]

interesting...not sure on the way this works is there a pic of them you have i could see?.sounds like a real possability for me.

[Michael Bush]

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/catalog/page14.html

$2565

Foundationless is cheaper. :)

[manowar422]

Just took this pic for ya.



I ordered these frames from Walter Kelly co. out of Clarksville KY
They were very pleased to custom make these for me and did not
charge me very much more than the regular frame prices. I bought
a box of fifty at a time. I will say however that they will not do special
orders during the peak of the season. I place these orders in the fall
for delivery during the winter months.

This year I will order regular frames (with solid bottom bars and solid
top bars) and cut the bevels myself.

[Michael Bush]

For more pictures of foundationless:

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfoundationless.htm

[jreel]

thanks all for the info. i believe i will make my second deep this way and see how it goes....and the price to draw out your own wax foundation is outragous!!! :shock:

[Michael Bush]

Yes but the bees do it for free and do a much better job.  :)

[TwT]

I got some small cell foundation this year what I did was cut it into 2 inch pieces and use them as starter strips....

[jreel]

you put the 2 inch strips of foundation in a standard frame?. and if so how did you attatch them?

[Michael Bush]

I prefer to wax mine into grooved top bars with a wax tube fastener, but I'll settle for nailing them in with a cleat or adding a triangular comb guide.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfoundationless.htm