Hi All,
Q. I’ve have just purchased 1/10/19 4x frame nuc for my 8 x frame hive. I have added the extra 2 x waxed frames to eitherend, after the 3rd or 4th day, I opened the tray and found 5 x lavae/grub like on the white tray… its been 2 x weeks and when I opened to check today. The queen was on the inside of the lid and I quickly noticed that the bees have not moved onto the other frames?
Am I not to worry or are they stressed? As the bee keeper whom I have purchased says they may be stressed and he was willing to pick them up and take away? Today has been the only day to open the box due the weather and my work commitments but did not have a proper thourough look at each individual frame because I was worried the queen would fly off.
Suggestions/advice please.
TIA
It is hard to say exactly what is going on with any certainty. I assume that the grubs you saw in the first inspection are not evident now?
You really do need to open them up and do a proper inspection I think. Perhaps take a photo or two of the frames and then we can comment. Also take a photo just after you lift the lid looking down at the top of the frames, that will help.
When you go in the hive look for eggs and other stages of brood, pollen and nectar (or honey).
The bees will grow when they are ready to (assuming the hive is healthy). If you want to speed it up you can give them a sugar/water mix at a 1:1 ratio.
Cheers
The bees will work with the frames they have and build out the other frames with comb as the colony expands and need the extra space and comb, either for the queen to lay more brood or for stores, or both. Feeding the colony with an internal feeder might help to boost them along as @BayoNat had suggested but it does take some time for a nuc to build up in size.
It is unusual for the queen to leave the brood area and to be found in the roof area. But bees can do some strange things. Did you find larvae and capped brood on the frames?
Cheers
Thanks Nat,
Unsure what you meant by - I assume that the grubs you saw in the first inspection are not evident now?
The initial inspection, the bee keeper was transferring the nuc into my hive, I felt he done this very quickly. When I did send him some pics of the lavae on the bottom tray he stated he will pick them due to being stressed to where I am living by the lake? As it can be winding here. I have tried to reassure him that the hive is located at he back of my house, it can get windy, but it’s in a safer position.
I will check again tomorrow and take some pics as you suggested & post on Forum.
TIA
Can’t really comment without photos of the hive and brood frames. As the others have said they will expand when they need the space. So long as your queen is laying then they should be OK and it would be time to leave the alone to settle in for a week or so. How large is your entrance? A new hive will not need, or want, a large entrance as they will not have enough guards to defend it.
The larvae is a SHB larvae. You said that the beekeeper rushed to get the frames into your hive. It’s something that can’t be rushed. Squashing bees between combs must be avoided. The frames should be slightly separated & packed firmly so that the frames don’t wobble, which will result in squashing bees. The squashed bees are a magnet for beetles to lay eggs in. That could possibly be what happened.
If there is a lot of SHB larvae in the brood, that could cause the queen to move away from it, that would explain why the queen was found in the lid.
My friend on the coast uses diatomaceous earth in the bottom tray so the SHB can fall through and die but the bees cannot. Makes sure you seal up the back of the base so the bees don’t try to use it as another entrance and end up trapped under the mesh bottom.
Sorry for late delay, but here are some pics of the hive my son has taken for me.
I went through each frame, a few SBH but I think the Colony is strong. Any advice would be much appreciated.
And I also think it’s time to put the Super on or is it too early?
TIA
Would you also suggest to scrape down the wax that is in between frames?
1 x frame is nearly fully of honey and scraped it along when taking it out accidentally and started leaking… am I to replace that frame or leave for the bees ?
TIA
Beautiful drawn comb and good laying pattern by the queen.
There’s no harm in scraping the bur comb you see in that third picture. Use your hive tool to cut/scrape it off. Keep this scraped off comb and mush it into your flow frames when you decide to put it on.
When you reassemble your frames, push the frames hard together. Make sure your clean up of comb doesn’t drip too much or it may flood your hive. The bees will clean up if it’s small leaks.
In my opinion your super can be put on. But keen to see others opinion also.
OK I’ll scrape the bur down next time I check on the hive, I find the bees get angry when I’m doing so…and I try not to injure the bees but it’s very hard not too neutral_face:
Esp when I squish the frames together.
Good to know you also think I should place my Super on, but would be nice for others opinion too. @Rmcpb@Peter48@JeffH
