New to bee keeping- help please!! :)

[ninjascarecrows]

Hi everyone,

I dived in at the deep end last week and claimed a swarm of bees that had arrived in a friends garden for my newly built bee hive. I went armed with a box and bee suit and only the knowledge I had gleened from some books, internet and tv. Inspite of being completely unprepared I managed to end the day with a hive full of bees and only one bee sting. The thing is that in my newbee ignorance I put a super on straight away because the swarm seemed huge and I was worried they wouldn't think they had enough space and would move on.

However, one week on I have been back to check out how they have been getting on and they have started work in the super having drawn out comb on at least 5 of the frames and with honey already in most of them to some extent. the problem is that the brood box has been left completely untouched (because they start working from the top - I knew that DOH!!) and there is no sign of the queen doing any laying - I'm guessing becuse the queen excuder is keeping her in the broody where the is no drawn out comb?

I havn't spotted the queen yet but the bees seem happy so i figure she is probably there somwhere. . .?

does anyone have any idea how I go about rectifying my mistake now? should I remove the queen excluder and accept that I'm going to have one super with larvae in it? or should I remove the frames they havn't started on yet to persuade them to work on the ones below? or remove the super completely?

any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

jo

[sortanormalish]

I realize that this advice flies in the face of most commercial beekeepers, whom I have patiently allowed ample time to respond, but it works and is an easy fix. Leave them alone.

Believe it or not, they do know what they're doing. They don't need a written instruction manual (or an online forum ) to figure it out. Sometimes when they are just starting a new hive they don't put things exactly where WE want them: this may be due to the fact that they have been kidnapped, stuffed in a strange box and fed an unnatural diet, but who caould really say?.

Another thing to consider, they are more in tune to small weather changes and that can alter comb placement. I don't think you need to be a 'bee whisperer' to figure out they are going to do what it takes to be healthy and survive. Sometimes the comb isn't where I think it should be, but if I leave them alone they always sort it out and the hive is healthier later on. I swear they know in April what the weather will be in September.

When you harvest, just be careful not to take brood comb. As the hive matures, they will establish a definite brood chamber but for now, just leave them alone.

[happyhippy]

Hi I know nothing of bee keeping,but I do know we have a couple of local "bee keeping"groups in our area.I don't know whether you have a group in your area but it might be worth investigating?I won't ever keep a bee hive,I do love honey,just not my forte,but I might pop along to the local group out of interest to find out more.Hope your bee's have settled?x

[pelmetman]

Years ago Dave bought me a bee hive and the in-laws bought me a book on bee keeping. All looks fascinating stuff but never found the courage to take it any further.

I still have the bee hive but it is just a garden ornament, looks good though.
Sue