Checker Boarding Frames to Support Straighter Comb Building - Honey Production on Hairy Vetch - VLOG

In this VLOG update we checker in some frames trying to get the bees to build some nice straight comb for their recently added second brood chambers. We find a lot of wild comb due to poor foundation coatings and bee space not being respected.
We also check the progress of our bees sitting on 450 acres of Hairy Vetch to see how they are doing and if they are making honey. While there we open up their flyways with a weed-eater.

[@gallowaylights]

simple, easy hive maintenance, but so many hives looks like work!

[@honeybeesunlimited]

I prefer this type of work to shaking bees and making splits.

[@gallowaylights]

Doing the frame shuffle, I agree 👍

[@KajunHomestead]

Nice boxes of bees

[@honeybeesunlimited]

Thanks they are really coming along. We are forecast to hit 100f this week. So that means dearth coming for us. These built up just in time.

[@mikeoakes7721]

You guys are doing a wonderul job and it definitely isnt Ez!

[@honeybeesunlimited]

Many thanks

[@picklestoast4081]

hairy vetch 👀

[@honeybeesunlimited]

not as hairy as one may think

[@sidelinerbeekeeper]

I have not seen so much burr comb drawn on new foundation. Who is the manufacturer of the frames? Who is the manufacturer of the foundation? Are the foundations waxed? Are the side bars the right width? That looks labor intensive, there is something wrong with the equipment. My guess is no wax on the foundation.

[@sidelinerbeekeeper]

I wrote my comment before I watched the entire video. I think more wax is needed. If I checkerboard on a flow, the drawn comb just gets fat, and the foundation doesn't get drawn. There is an art to drawing new fresh perfect looking comb, wax on plastic, keep the frames tight, and a heavy flow.

[@honeybeesunlimited]

This is old foundation that has been sitting under an oak tree for over a year. We've had some issues getting our shop built. These bees weren't strong enough to make any honey on this brief flow. Looks like they built on most of the comb we gave them. More to look in on this week. You also got our other problem right. SPACING. I had a hand help the time before when we pulled up two brood frames from each while adding the second boxes. I did not realize he left space between the frames and not tightening before he closed the box. It become apparent when in each yard one pallet would be good and the next no one respected the bee spec. We are hitting 100f this week so bye bye comb production for the season.