Good videos. I'm glad I found your channel. Maybe I can get some much needed helpful advice. I started last summer so I have 6 hives that I was able get through the 2021 winter. I am using single brood management. I have gotten them this far pretty good. Our flow should be full force. The dandelions, black locust, dead nettle are done. We have white clover, blackberry, multifloral rose, alfalfa, ladino,etc all blooming. About 2 weeks ago the flow was heavier and the bees were backfilling the brood frames in the second box with nectar. I shook all the bees into the bottom box, added the excluder, and then put a super of foundation above the top box on 4 of the strongest hives. The 2 are building up but decided to let them build a little longer but don't want miss the flow either. I don't have drawn comb to give them. The 4 supered hives don't seem to want to draw the comb in the supers. They are up there walking around but not drawing. I am afraid to stimulate them with sugar syrup cause I want to get honey from them. Should I rotate the super under the top box, take it off, or leave it alone and see what happens. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.
If the boxes you are using for supers are the same size as your brood box, pull the outside brood frame which is mostly honey and place it in the middle of the box of foundation which will entice the bees to work that box. If the boxes are different sizes, place the undrawn foundation box directly above the brood box. You might remove the excluder for just a couple days until you see freshly drawn wax and reinstall the excluder making sure the queen is still in the brood box. You could also swap frames between hives if one hive is pulling out the foundation better than other hives. I also either buy double waxed foundation or add additional wax coating myself. Heavy wax on new foundation really helps too. It takes a lot of young bees on a flow to make wax along with heat. Cool weather slows things but the heat from the brood box helps a lot. Getting comb drawn every year is a priority. Drawn comb is gold, you never have enough. We are currently at the end of our Blackberry flow and will pull honey in a couple weeks. It's been the best spring flow in several years for us and we stayed ahead of the swarms. I hope this helps.
This is a great video. I enjoy your teaching technique and demeanor.
I've got another similar one to this coming up soon too.
Great tips, love your content and your teaching skills. I am going back and watching them all. Thanks
Thank you for the feedback. I try to explain what and why I am doing various things. I make these videos to help others.
These are very good. Easy for any level of beekeeper
Thanks
Good videos. I'm glad I found your channel. Maybe I can get some much needed helpful advice. I started last summer so I have 6 hives that I was able get through the 2021 winter. I am using single brood management. I have gotten them this far pretty good. Our flow should be full force. The dandelions, black locust, dead nettle are done. We have white clover, blackberry, multifloral rose, alfalfa, ladino,etc all blooming. About 2 weeks ago the flow was heavier and the bees were backfilling the brood frames in the second box with nectar. I shook all the bees into the bottom box, added the excluder, and then put a super of foundation above the top box on 4 of the strongest hives. The 2 are building up but decided to let them build a little longer but don't want miss the flow either. I don't have drawn comb to give them. The 4 supered hives don't seem to want to draw the comb in the supers. They are up there walking around but not drawing. I am afraid to stimulate them with sugar syrup cause I want to get honey from them. Should I rotate the super under the top box, take it off, or leave it alone and see what happens. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.
If the boxes you are using for supers are the same size as your brood box, pull the outside brood frame which is mostly honey and place it in the middle of the box of foundation which will entice the bees to work that box. If the boxes are different sizes, place the undrawn foundation box directly above the brood box. You might remove the excluder for just a couple days until you see freshly drawn wax and reinstall the excluder making sure the queen is still in the brood box. You could also swap frames between hives if one hive is pulling out the foundation better than other hives. I also either buy double waxed foundation or add additional wax coating myself. Heavy wax on new foundation really helps too. It takes a lot of young bees on a flow to make wax along with heat. Cool weather slows things but the heat from the brood box helps a lot. Getting comb drawn every year is a priority. Drawn comb is gold, you never have enough. We are currently at the end of our Blackberry flow and will pull honey in a couple weeks. It's been the best spring flow in several years for us and we stayed ahead of the swarms. I hope this helps.
@@tonywestsbees6042 Thank you so much!!!