Fourth Honey Super?

Ron Young · Post by **Ron Young** » Wed May 13, 2009 7:30 pm

I went into the hive today, and they are doing well. I have nectar in all three honey supers, one of which started as foundation. I was wondering if I should add a fourth super? I have some capped honey in all three supers, and most is just nectar. If I am right in calculating, the poplar bloom only has about one to one and one half weeks left right?

Post by **Wally** » Wed May 13, 2009 8:44 pm

Add it. Don't let them run out of room before June 30.

Ron Young · Post by **Ron Young** » Thu May 14, 2009 8:03 am

Even if it is foundation and not drawn comb? Is their going to be enough flow for them to draw and fill it?

Post by **Wally** » Thu May 14, 2009 9:41 am

I can't predict the future flow, but I can predict the future of a too full hive, and it ain't good.

Ron Young · Post by **Ron Young** » Thu May 14, 2009 2:00 pm

Ok, here it is. I went in the hive today, and looked it over for any queen cells. On one frame, I found several queen cups, and one of the cups had an egg in it. I moved that frame to a five frame box, and one more with bees honey and pollen. I looked them over and did not see the queen at all. I put the hive back together, and put a new super on. I put the new super on with one super full of honey right below it, in hopes that when they draw it out the queen will not move acorss the honey and lay in new comb. That may not bee of any concern.

Here are my concerns

1. I first am fearful of mistakingly having taken the queen out of the hive with the two frames, thus have a negative effect on my honey production?? (I did not see her, but that aint saying a whole lot.)

2. I fear that if they have decided to start a swarm cell, that the added room will not be enough to discourage that, and they will swarm anyway?? (This have an negative effect on honey production.)

3. I also fear that two frames will not provide enough bees to start the five frame off? (I was afraid of taking more, as I knew it would increase my chances of getting the queen).

Any thoughts.

Can someone refresh my memory on the number of days to having a capped queen cell?? Time to hatch, and mate, then start laying.

If this small attempt at a split does not work, I will not be too devistated. I just hope it keeps the other hive from swarming!!! Things are looking good for honey for me if they will just stay in the box.

Ron Young · Post by **Ron Young** » Fri May 15, 2009 5:37 pm

Well I guess I am on my own in this one. No one chimed in. I will look in the five frame next Wednesday and see if they are building a queen cell. Also, if the eggs that were in the frame were layed on Thursday, then they will all be hatched by Wednesday of next week also, so if I find eggs then I will know I have the queen somewhere? Which would be bad for me!

Post by **Wally** » Fri May 15, 2009 7:44 pm

Other than the days for a queen to develop, what are you asking? I just see normal concerns everyone has when they do a split.

As for queens,

Day 1...Egg laid

Day 3 egg hatches

Day 9 or 10, cell is capped

Day 16, give or take 1, queen emerges

Day 20 to 35, queen starts laying.

mike91553 · Post by **mike91553** » Sun May 17, 2009 11:13 pm

I dont think it would be bad if you took the queen out when you made the split. It may even help your honey production and the strong hive is better able to feed and make a new queen than 2 or 3 frames of bees. You will have more bees storing honey instead of feeding larvae. Any bees from eggs laid today will not be foraging before most of the honey flow is over.

Ron Young · Post by **Ron Young** » Fri May 29, 2009 2:50 pm

Today is day 18 according to my math. I started the five frame on the 14th. So, providing that they started a queen cell that day from a three day old egg, then today is day 18.

I went in today, and the queen cell is torn down, and I have two eggs in some cells, and single eggs in other cells. I would not think that I would have a laying worker yet, but at the same time, I would not think that I had a laying queen on day 18 either?

Any thoughts????

Post by **Wally** » Fri May 29, 2009 3:17 pm

My thoughts are this....

Eggs on bottom of cells, new queen.

Eggs half way up the side of cells, laying workers.

My guess, new queen.

Ron Young · Post by **Ron Young** » Fri May 29, 2009 3:25 pm

They are in the bottom of the cells.

I just did not think that they would have a laying queen that soon.

Post by **Wally** » Fri May 29, 2009 3:56 pm

Maybe they started the cell from a 3 day old larva. Then this would be day 21.

Ron Young · Post by **Ron Young** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 2:10 pm

You were right Wally. She is in there and laying well. I hope to combine her into a split when I take honey off this year.