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Author Topic: Best time to add a second super  (Read 6899 times)

Offline crispy

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Re: Best time to add a second super
« Reply #20 on: October 26, 2020, 10:33:19 pm »
Well we had some mild /fine weather yesterday and as usual i went out to peek on the bees through the gate as i do every day dont go into the yard or disturb them and they were going bonkas ,now i dont know if a new lot of brood hatched but i had flying bullets everywhere didnt look like they were going anywhere more like just flying around in circles and landing again but im glad the neighbours didnt see it as i rekon they would have rung the council . things calmed down getting on to sunset but i am just fascinated with these little creatures ,i think as the weather picks up they will start to forage a bit more .

I did wonder if when i moved the frames around and put on the second super if i should have given them another pollen patty as they devowered the one before in a week maybe tommorow i might sling them another one as the weather is up and down here at the moment and ive got to do some weeding in the bee yard before it gets out of control .

Offline Acebird

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Re: Best time to add a second super
« Reply #21 on: October 27, 2020, 08:54:56 am »
So what i have done is this ,in the new box i have tranfered 1 frame of uncapped honey ,and two frames of capped brood hopefully this will entice the bees to come up and work out the frames there
Uncapped brood was all you needed.
The burr comb on top of the frames would be an indication to me that you were late with that second box.  Hopefully they have not made a decision to enter swarm prep because the second box will not stop them.  Make a mental note that if it does happen to adjust your decision making.  This is how we learn.
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Offline Acebird

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Re: Best time to add a second super
« Reply #22 on: October 27, 2020, 09:12:37 am »
got stung again through those useless nitril gloves double thickness wont be using them anymore .
If you wear a pair of gloves that will protect you from getting stung you will lose dexterity and end up crushing bees that tends to set them off.  Commercial beekeepers wear gloves because time is money and they get stung often.  I know too well that it is hard to go bare handed but it does make you pay attention to what you are doing handling frames.  Gloves are necessary after you set the hive off.  So it not like you will never need them.
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Offline The15thMember

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Re: Best time to add a second super
« Reply #23 on: October 27, 2020, 12:56:44 pm »
Hi beelab ,yes that is what ive done the feeder is out now got one sting out of it ,had bees all over my hands and one on my palm and she didnt like what was going on and got me , i was using two pairs of those nitril gloves they are not sting proof as people say , im going back to my leather gloves from now on thats the second time they have got through them .
got stung again through those useless nitril gloves double thickness wont be using them anymore .
If you wear a pair of gloves that will protect you from getting stung you will lose dexterity and end up crushing bees that tends to set them off.  Commercial beekeepers wear gloves because time is money and they get stung often.  I know too well that it is hard to go bare handed but it does make you pay attention to what you are doing handling frames.  Gloves are necessary after you set the hive off.  So it not like you will never need them.
I agree with Ace, big gloves make for crushed bees, and crushed bees make for angry bees.  I use double layer nitril as well, and I also get stung through them sometimes.  Something I added to help with sting protection but keep dexterity was I made some wrist protectors out of some old socks.  It's just basically a tube with a thumb hole, which I wear under my gloves, and I haven't taken a sting to the wrist or the palm since using them.   
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.

Offline crispy

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Re: Best time to add a second super
« Reply #24 on: October 27, 2020, 07:53:58 pm »
Hi all ill remember that acebird for the future , i understand about the gloves that was why i went for the nitril for a better feel but it annoys  the hell out of me getting stung on the hands my thumb looked like a deformed carrot . I can still see a black dot where the stinger went in snd i was watching her when she did it but couldnt do anything as i was holding a frame .

The idea of a set of under gloves sounds like a good one will look into it further as i do like using the nitril gloves .

Offline Acebird

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Re: Best time to add a second super
« Reply #25 on: October 28, 2020, 08:45:47 am »
You know they sting through nitril so on your next visit try smoking the heck out of your hands and in a non threatening way just hold each end of a frame without taking it out and let the bees crawl on your hands.  It is going to tickle but resist the instinct to snap back your hands.  If this doesn't work then you have nasty bees.  You can either dump them or suit up with all the armor and dive in like a bull in a china closet similar to Dee Lusby.  For the average back yarder nasty bees are no fun.  It makes you fear the tame ones.
Oh one thing wait until your hands clear up before doing this test.
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Offline crispy

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Re: Best time to add a second super
« Reply #26 on: October 28, 2020, 07:08:04 pm »
I actually went in with leather on yesterday had one stinger in the glove had bees all over my hands but just one sting try to be as gentle as i can with them ,they are not smacking me or anything maybe they are not used to being handled .

Offline Acebird

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Re: Best time to add a second super
« Reply #27 on: October 29, 2020, 07:58:38 am »
Another issue with leather gloves is the pheromones remain in the skin of the gloves so the next time you use them the bees are already on guard.  At least with nitrile gloves they are disposed of.
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Offline crispy

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Re: Best time to add a second super
« Reply #28 on: October 29, 2020, 08:39:11 pm »
Hi acebird i watch guys all over the world on you tube who dont wear any gloves as you have said ,following a guy in new zealand that wore nitril and he didnt have any real problems so thats why i bought two boxes of them.

As i have said i did have bees all over my hands when inspecting the frames and not a problem apart from one 99% of the bees are just chilled out crawling over my hands while i do the inspection and that doesnt bother me at all only when  feel that sharp pain of the stinger going in most times the bee that stings me isnt even on my fingers .

One was on the palm of my hand while i had a frame between two fingers and i watched as she poked out her stinger and jambed it in no where near where i was handling the frames another was walking across the back side of my hand again while i was holding a frame with two fingers and bang again not anywhere near my fingers.

I think i have just got some hoodlum bees in there ,i have noticed that when you start to crack frames they get a bit toey but again not smacking into me just buzzing about and i suppose i would be a bit annoyed if someone came and ripped open my house .

After putting on the second super for a week i went and checked it last wednesday and although progress is slow in it they have started to draw some of the frames out , however in the brood box they are going gangbusters ,i puled one frame in the brood box and i thought it was slightly stuck but when i looked at it above the brood was all capped honey and that was in 7 days the problem being is that our weather is up and down all over the place wednesday was 26 degrees today it will be lucky to make 18 and raining so not much activity at the hive today .

Im lucky as i can just go up to my little bee space and have a peek to see whats going on without disturbing them at all ,most mornings ill go up and have a peek im just fascinated by these little insects how they can fly away and come back to the exact spot. I dont know where they go but they head of in all different directions and there not slow either i call them my flying bullets some need futher trainng in how to land on the landing board they miss it and go under the hive then realize oops wrong spot . 

Offline Acebird

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Re: Best time to add a second super
« Reply #29 on: October 30, 2020, 08:20:43 am »
They say in the airline business that every landing is a controlled crash.  Even if all you have ever done is fly a model plane you know that as you add weight you lose control.
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