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Author Topic: long langstroth season progress  (Read 2158 times)

Offline Bob Wilson

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long langstroth season progress
« on: July 26, 2019, 01:27:47 pm »
The swarm that moved into my long lang has mostly filled out 15 frames of comb. The one problem I have with this style of hive, so far, is getting into the brood area. With a standard lang, you just take your top supers off and there you are. With the long lang, to make space to remove a brood frame, I have to start at the far end of the box, trying to shift all the frames backward to make enough room to take out a brood frame.
Maybe I have my frames packed too tight. Maybe my bees are a little glue happy... and they are...
Maybe I should leave some space in front of the first frame (by the top entrance), then I can move it forward a bit and have some immediate wiggle room tin the brood frames. I just thought that all the frames are supposed to be snugged up tight, especially with foundationless.

Offline cao

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Re: long langstroth season progress
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2019, 10:28:17 pm »
> The one problem I have with this style of hive, so far, is getting into the brood area.

I find it easier than a regular lang.  No heavy lifting. :wink:

> I just thought that all the frames are supposed to be snugged up tight, especially with foundationless.

They are and keep them that way.  You can have a little space in the front and the back but keep the frames tight together.  You will get better at prying the frames apart. 

>The swarm that moved into my long lang has mostly filled out 15 frames of comb.

I would say that they are well on there way to being built up for winter.


Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: long langstroth season progress
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2019, 12:37:56 am »
How do you work your long langstroth hives?
With this many frames, how can I get into the brood area? Do I...
A. Leave some space (3/8 inch?) between the first frame and the end of the hive body where my top entrance is? Will the bees expand that first comb with nectar or honey and fill up the wiggle room area I make there?
B. Just force pry out one of the brood frames (and roll the queen?)
C. Start at the back in the honey area and shift all those frames backwards, making room, till I finally get to the brood area?

Offline cao

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Re: long langstroth season progress
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2019, 01:37:24 am »
Option A
I would leave a little space in the front.  In my long hives, they use the first frame or two for mainly pollen stores.  So the extra space wouldn't hurt anything. 

Option C
I don't check my hives as often as you do, but when I do I usually just start at the back and break the first couple frames free and slide them back about 3" or so. Then repeat by breaking the next couple frames free and sliding them.  I usually don't pull them out unless there is something I need to see.  Once I see brood, I'm done.  I just start sliding them all back, unless I'm adding empties which I insert in the proper places.  It can get tiresome when there is 30+ frames.  That is when I just look at the bees from the top and assume that all is well between the frames.

Option B
Nope.

Offline bobsim

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Re: long langstroth season progress
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2019, 07:00:59 am »
  Hey bobll,

  I don't have long langs but have had the same issue in my top bar hives. I don't know where your entrance is but mine is on the end and the girls tend to keep their brood close to the entrance and their honey farther from the entrance similar to yours.

  The first bar in my hives is a baffle. It's 3/4" thick and the same as a follower board except the bottom and sides are 3/8" shorter to allow the bees access to the hive. I believe I found the idea on a post somewhere from Michael Bush.

  To get quick access to my brood I can pull the baffle and have 1 1/8" of room to help removing the brood bars.

  One lesson I have learned is to use a small screw into the bottom of the baffle which is screwed in just enough to leave 3/8" protruding. This is a spacer to prevent the bees from pushing the baffle bar against the entrance. The top of the baffle is attached to a top bar which is 3/8" wider also.

  I don't know if this will work in your situation, hope it helps though.

 

anything