The trick with adding honey supers with foundation is to leave the Queen excluder off for at least a week so the bees have easier access. When you put the excluder on the bees that were building comb will continue to do so.
Once again, a great experiment, Lawrence!! I'm just packing my bees down for winter here in Australia. Looking forward to watching more of your spring action!!
There are 2 points I want to mention: 1. Bees need heat to draw comb, as hot air rises and accumulate in the upper box it will be easier for them. I noticed many times my bees draw faster and more perfect frames in the upper box while they are "lazy" in drawing the lower frames. 2. I can't deny the advantages of drawn comb in the colony expantion . But in unpredictable weather, rainfall, flow pattern it can easily turn to a burden. I noticed the colonies that had grown by only foundation have better healthy and bigger bees and they don't decrease as much during dearth or long period of bad weather. In other words, they grow slow but steady.
As I’m looking to boost my hive count this year, I have 10 drawn out frames from last season… would you put them all on one hive, or do a split and half drawn, half fresh on 2 hives? I want to make as many splits as I can?
Great content thanks Laurence. You mentioned turning the upper brood box to a super. Is there any issue extracting from a previously brood frame(s)? Issues with any treatments and the honey?
So if you don’t have enough drawn combs. I’m thinking would it best to put half drawn frames and have foundation frames in each box. What are your thoughts on this. Love your videos and thank you
So beginning bee keepers have a real disadvantage. Not only do they have to have enough food for winter be also the time it takes for bees to draw comb to put it in.
That was great, thanks. Had quite a lot of interest with the bait hives, assuming all goes to plan, will probably get one or two of your F1s later in the yet to improve genetics. Best wishes to you. Peter
The trick with adding honey supers with foundation is to leave the Queen excluder off for at least a week so the bees have easier access. When you put the excluder on the bees that were building comb will continue to do so.
Once again, a great experiment, Lawrence!!
I'm just packing my bees down for winter here in Australia.
Looking forward to watching more of your spring action!!
There are 2 points I want to mention:
1. Bees need heat to draw comb, as hot air rises and accumulate in the upper box it will be easier for them. I noticed many times my bees draw faster and more perfect frames in the upper box while they are "lazy" in drawing the lower frames.
2. I can't deny the advantages of drawn comb in the colony expantion . But in unpredictable weather, rainfall, flow pattern it can easily turn to a burden.
I noticed the colonies that had grown by only foundation have better healthy and bigger bees and they don't decrease as much during dearth or long period of bad weather. In other words, they grow slow but steady.
As I’m looking to boost my hive count this year, I have 10 drawn out frames from last season… would you put them all on one hive, or do a split and half drawn, half fresh on 2 hives? I want to make as many splits as I can?
Spread them far and wide as it helps get the bees to move up to the next box 📦
Great content thanks Laurence. You mentioned turning the upper brood box to a super. Is there any issue extracting from a previously brood frame(s)? Issues with any treatments and the honey?
No issue with using brood frames for honey BUT only if they havent been treated with a wax soluble treatment like Apivar
@@BlackMountainHoney Great. What treatments do you use ? I ask as I recently received a nuc from you and am using some of your frames.
So if you don’t have enough drawn combs. I’m thinking would it best to put half drawn frames and have foundation frames in each box. What are your thoughts on this. Love your videos and thank you
At what point do you get rid of the used brood foundation because it's looking too dark and manky?
Would be nice to have 3rd colony in comparison with foundationless frames.
What a difference that makes mine have started three frames in second brood over last four days another good tutorial video thanks again Laurence 👍👍
Cheers Rich. Next couple of weeks will be crazy!
Just did a Demaree split and alternated foundation and drawn comb in the bottom box to help them start off quicker
By using drawn comb you may be more susceptible to disease build up. Whereas that is not the case with foundation.
The sycamore is flowing well here in the Conwy Valley, north Wales. It's a great time of year to get new comb drawn out.
Were they fed during the experiment, is tht the reason the drawn comb grew by leaps and bounds in 2 wks??
What do you call this style of hive?
That was a dramatic difference. Honey production difference will be even bigger I would imagine. Thanks Laurence.
How can i get buckfast queen in india
So beginning bee keepers have a real disadvantage. Not only do they have to have enough food for winter be also the time it takes for bees to draw comb to put it in.
Just the video I was looking for. I knew drawn comb would be better. But its absolutely nuclear. I am trying to build up alot of drawn comb.
Thanks Laurence. I guess the obvious next question is - How do you produce empty drawn comb?
3D printer?
Wow the difference between the two was very impressive, 20 or so frames and a brood full of honey
Great demonstration of the benefit of using old drawn comb. Can I as what the item was in the tree over your shoulder?
Swarm bait
He made a video about it too
@@KKISalatiga Thanks, found it. The World's Best Swarm Magnet
That was great, thanks. Had quite a lot of interest with the bait hives, assuming all goes to plan, will probably get one or two of your F1s later in the yet to improve genetics. Best wishes to you. Peter
Thanks Peter. I predict you will have caught a swarm in the next two weeks :D
Same reason a house is more valuable than a pile of bricks :)