A few question below but first:
A bit about me and my situation that is driving my questions:
- Dallas TX US.
- Residential neighborhood, getting my side yard ready
a. 8’ fence
b. water source 20’ away
c. planting pollen and nectar sources (year round variety) - Flow Hive do to arrive in Dec 2015
- NUC arrive in March 2016
- stable platform
- Gravel around entire base to 10’ from hive
- Obtain nucleus colony (nuc) consisting of 4-6 DEEP sized frames. There should be 2-3 frames of brood of all stages, a frame or 2 of honey and pollen and maybe an empty frame for expansion. Inspect the nuc before buying for a solid brood pattern.
a. Dont now that I will be able to inspect for they sell out round the area and ordered it last week, from what I understand a very reputable company (hope). We all pick up our NUC’s at a location in Downtown Dallas. - One by one, lift each frame out of the nucleus hive and place them in your BOTTOM Flow box that you have already set up nice and level. Leave the top Flow box in the house/garage for now.
a. This is great info. Been trying to understand when
- Make sure to place these nucleus frames in the middle of the Flow bottom box in the SAME order they came out of the nucleus box.
- Add the remaining 4-6 frames to the Flow bottom box until the box has 10 frames total. The bottom Flow box should look like this: EEDDDDDEEE. E= empty frame without comb and D= drawn frame that came with the nucleus colony that the bees have made comb on or “drawn”. (If it was a 5 frame nuc)*
a. I get the understanding of the pattern, What I am not sure of is
b. 10 frames? looking at the Flow website, it looks like a 8 frames come with it. Do I need to buy 2 more frames. I am confused if the boxes come with 2 different sizes (8 frame box) or a (10 Frame box) I ask this for understand what top feeder to buy? if the boxes are different sizes the not wanting to buy the wrong one. - If you want to hurry up the process of turning the “E’s” into “D’s” mix up some sugar syrup at 1 part HOT tap water and 1 part cane sugar. I use a 5 gallon bucket and fill it 1/3 full of sugar and 1/3 full of HOT tap water and mix it with my battery drill and drywall paddle. Let cool to room temperature. Get a good top feeder; this is the best imho because there is the least amount of drowned bees: http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/10-Frame-Hive-Top-Feeder-w_Floats/productinfo/688/1 and keep it filled until at least 8 or 9 of the frames are drawn. Upside-down jar feeders just can’t feed enough bees to simulate a strong nectar flow. Once 8 or 9 frames are Drawn add a box……*
a. This got back to 4.i. not sure what to but (size) I would like to get it now, but was wanting to wait to see since I did not understand size. - If you are in an area with no real winter: Remove the feeder and add your Flow super on top of the Flow bottom box. As soon as you see the bees depositing nectar in the Flow super, add the excluder between the bottom box and Flow super before the queen heads up there to join in the fun.
a. WOW!! thank you, understanding the adding of the excluder is great.
b. What would you think about Dallas type weather? We get maybe 1 or 2 snow days a winter. we do have may nights that will get below freezing, but may days in the winter will begin the mid 50’s weather and temp sings are great here. I guess my question is, What would you say a real winter is? - If you have a winter: Add a second deep Flow box and move the outer most drawn frames from the bottom box up to that new box placing them in the same position so you have something like this EDEEEEEEED. This will entice the bees to work the new box. The bees will need an extra deep box to store enough honey for winter survival. Re-install feeder and continue feeding until 8 out of 10 of those frames are drawn. Remove feeder, add Flow super, wait for some nectar and add excluder.*
a. What would you call a winter that would need a second deep? Would Dallas area need one?
b. I also have read that, when winter comes and I maybe would want to leave the flow frame box on top and remove the excluder.
…1, with this, I then may get close leaving winter and have brood in the flow frames? with a set up with out the flow frame, I understand that you could rotate the two deeps around so that the the bees/queen move to the top deep in the winter. This would let the bottom deep be remove all together? but if it is the flow frame, what do I do - Check brood nest every 10-14 days for brood pattern, eggs, swarm cells. Eventually, you will get swarm cells and you will get a swarm. That’s a different lesson but lot’s of fun!*
a. LOL ok, I am only wanting and really don’t think I have the space for more than 1 hive. So management, to keep down swarms and removing swarm cells? - Harvest some honey!*
Tip: Never feed sugar with the Flow super on or else you will be harvesting capped sugar syrup.
Disclaimer: I’m in NJ and have never had to feed a nucleus colony. I keep mine in 3 deep high brood nests and they achieve that in the first year most of the time. It’s all about timing. During a really good nectar flow, we are all awesome beekeepers lol!
a. How many deeps do you think I would need. There has been a lot of chat on here about the number one would need. If I start out with one brood box and one flow flow box. When would I know if I may want to ad a second brood box?