G’day all. a newbie Beek but very keen to learn. Got very lucky and trapped a very docile swarm at our first attempt. Now very keen to learn how to look after our ladies and hope that they reward us with the “Nectar of the Gods”.
First question. Is it OK to wax “Flow Frames” and if so what is the best way to go about this?
With a new swarm you should be beginning with just the brood box as the colony will need time to build up in numbers. Bees do best in ultra high density living. Too much too soon isn’t doing them a favor.
I experimented with ways to prep the Flow Super frames to get the bees accepting them the best and fastest way possible. I melted some bees wax in a daggy old saucepan and with the cheapest paint brush I could buy I painted the wax on both sides of all the frames and when the brood box was really booming then I would fit a metal QX and the super, if you have timed it right within a couple of days you will have bees in the super using the wax to seal up the cells. Welcome to the furum, Cheers
Many thanks Peter. Because I am stumbling I only have one frame in the Brood Box at the moment. Having said that, we have an improvement in the weather here tomorrow and an experienced Beek is going to inspect our captured swarm and supply us with equipment. We have clearly made a number of mistakes so far but we are hoping this will be corrected tomorrow and the captured swarm will forgive us.
Hopefully you can have the guy mentor you. I’m also thinking Mandurah is big enough that it has a local bee group. Bees are very tolerant of our mistakes but a swarm is not as forgiving as a full sized colony. Soak up all the help, tips and advice you can, and you are on the right forum for that.
Cheers
Thanks Peter48 I will happily take your advice on board. The “girls” seem to be very happy and are certainly very busy at the moment. Perhaps they will forgive my mistakes and teach us what we obviously need to learn about hosting bees.
My Bee Swamp water hole is quite popular. It is about 150m from the hive but attracting a lot of drinkers. I even have a vacant bee residence about 7m from the Bee Swamp which is gaining more “lookers”. Perhaps it is the Lemon Grass EO that they like?
Once the guy sorts out what you need tomorrow feel free to ask more on the forum. Don’t rush into adding a super before the bees need it. The same applies to adding a second brood box if in fact it is the normal set up for your area.
In other words, take your time and enjoy your bees and learning about them. Your not alone remember
Cheers John
Jump on the Western Australian Apiarist Society webpage www.waas.org.au
From memory there is a Bee Buddy group around Mandurah. WAAS also hold monthly meetings in Perth and Bunbury if you are up for some travel.
They also run a 101 training course and the next dates will be there under training. Others businesses do too.
Hold on to the experienced Beek as a mentor for as long as possible.
Also remember to register with DPIRD (it isn’t optional) and put your brand on all your supers.
Adam
Thank you Adam. My Beek has visited and sorted out most of the errors that we had made. We now have two hives in our community, two houses and a road apart. I had made several mistakes after catching our swarm one of which was insufficient frame area in the brood box. This meant that the girls had decided to raise a new queen in the super, even though we thought we had stopped the Queen getting up there. Anyway working on the principle that the bees know best Ken Wilkinson (our Beek) moved the frame with queen capsules into the brood box. He then added a bunch of frames into the brood box. He is coming back in a few days to see what has developed. The original queen rules over a very placid hive. Ken also installed a nuc with Rotto Queen in the second hive, which has a full set of frames with “flo-frames” in the super.
Woooo a Rotto Queen, have heard good stories about them. Welcome to the forum and we look forward to how your apiary flourishes.
I should have said, Adam that I have registered the hives with DPIRD in Bunbury and stamped them with the rego number.
John sounds like you are all over it. When catching swarms I’ll fill the brood box with frames and leave them to it for a while.
Just checking to make sure the nuc, and swarm, are building out just one super? If you have placed on the flow hive it may be a little early as they need to be bursting out of the boxes to be ready for the doubling of the real-estate volume. A good generic rule is all frames should be 90% full with brood and stores (honey and pollen).
Look forward to hearing how you do.
Adam
Thanks Adam, that is a very good equation to work with. I am most fortunate that I have bush reserve on two boundaries and parks and gardens across the road, so I will not close the super off now, as I think the girls are going to have a very productive time. Having said that the next community hive (already ordered) will have your wise words applied. Thanks again.
Cheers, Mac
How about an update, I’m looking forward to hearing you have the right number of frames in the hive and the colony is booming. Don’t expect you will get a harvest in the hives first year but if you do then take that as a bonus.
Cheers
@Peter48 Pete, John is quite active on the Perth Bee Community Facebook page: https://facebook.com/groups/1604115673200464
But I’m keen to get updates also 
Thanks heaps Fred, a long day till dark at my hives so will have a look at the link after a feed and a well earned shower mate.
Cheers