Hi everyone, i have 3 new and very full supers w 2 boxes on each. I tried bwfore w the same results, to putting a super of rounds on top . All 3 colonies have completely 100% , ignored going up even to begin building out comb. Why wont they build when theres ideal frames(round containers) available ?
You mean Ross rounds for comb honey? Or are you discussing the Flow super. Either way, this thread might have some useful ideas for you:
Second thought, at this time of year in your climate, bees are preparing for winter. They probably won’t store any more honey until next season, unless you have a Fall crop of something like Goldenrod, Asters or Mountainmint. I would ask your local bee club about this. If the nectar flow is over for the season, take your supers off now, and try again next year in about April.
Thanks. They are the Ross rounds. I put them on a couple months ago during peek nectar flow. Wouldnt know who to call here.
In that case, I would take them off. If you are worried about space in the hives, you could try putting a traditional super (shallow or medium) with foundation on top instead. If they still don’t work it by September, you are too late in the season. Next season, I might put the Ross round super on, then put a traditional (with foundation) on top. The reason is that the wax foundation has pheromones in it which should pull the bees up into the Ross rounds.
One other question, did you put foundation in the Ross rounds?
Thats brilliant… yes, foundation in each. Humm, older, but packaged , left in the dark until this summer. I do agree w your widom. Mentioning pheromones,maybe theyve worn off in the rounds frames, possibly baiting them w some, even w seed, such as brushing liquid wax from one sacrificed lower frame .? You write very well. I will do as you suggest tomorrow. Thank you for caring
That might be part of your problem. The thing about bee pheromones is that they are volatile. They have to be to spread through the hive. But that also means that they evaporate much faster from large, flat surfaces. Foundation is a large, flat surface. A big block of beeswax may keep its wonderful smell, but foundation loses it over the years.
You could certainly try painting some melted burr comb onto the foundation in the Ross rounds, but I still think you are probably too late for this year. If you decide to do that, I would do it just before you put the super on the hive next spring. That would also give you some time to collect some burr comb in the remaining season (freeze it to save the pheromones) and then you have some to use next year.
An easier way might to be to buy some fresh foundation next year. For comb honey, I really like Kelley Bees thin foundation. I would buy it in about February next year for next season. Here is a link:
https://www.kelleybees.com/foundation-for-medium-frames-s-twnw.html
https://www.kelleybees.com/foundation-for-round-section-frames.html
You could buy it now and freeze it, but I find that freezing makes foundation brittle, even after it warms up, so I don’t do that.
Your advice feels very exactly best. I will order fresh foundation in late fall, im guessing. Yeah, freezing wont be best. Okey. Im quite happy w your answers. You are a healer. Im picking that up by wording. A care giver of sorts ? Thank you
Very kind of you to say so. I was a University pediatrician, taking care of very sick premature babies.
Now I just manage our finances full time, because the banks destroyed 75% of what we had in 2007/8/9. I am building our resources back up again. I got some professional training so that I can do it right, but I know that we all can learn things all of the time in many areas of our lives, no matter how much experience or wisdom we seem to have.
Ohh gosh. All my money is in the Chase bank. Everything !
. Cherie , 30 year marriage, died in March, breast cancer, had kept our savings there… I assumed, Obviously , ive opened up to you.
I knew it, could feel your energy like hers. A doctor ? She was in L and D for 33 years.Over 4000 babies. A mentor to every soul. Agonizing without her in every way. .Im barely in my body
If u dont mind me asking ? How did the banks do this ? I feel danger reading that. What should one know about such a tragedy ? I m sorry that happened. ENT credit union wants mine in investments. Who to trust Âż
Answered in a PM
Thank you for your wisdom about the rounds. It must be as you said, the pheromones have dissipated from the wax inserts. There is a huge amount of propolis on the bottoms of each frame, as if they wanted that super isolated from their full supers. A guess… I left the queen excluder in place and added a medium in place of. Also, for hoots, squirted a bit of sugar water on the top edges of those newer sheets of wax forms. Its too late for expecting honey stores here in Colorado, but gives them some room to move and have something to do. By the way Ms bee masteress, whats your thoughts about the oxalic vaporizer ?
Have a beautiful fall out your way. The leaves are beginning to change color here already. Our summer was short and full of huge hail storms and fires.
You, sir, are too kind. I will never be a masteress, except in our household, where I am SWMBO. There is just so much that I don’t know and don’t have time in life to learn, although I will certainly try hard.
I love my oxalic acid vaporizer. Best way to deal with mites. If you have any specific questions about it, feel free to ask, or search the forum - I have posted quite a bit on it for other people
One more thing, I came across this article by Rusty Burlew, who really wanted to hate Ross rounds, but has actually had a lot of success with them. Worth a quick read if you haven’t seen it: