new package in apr 2012. 4th medium 8 frame box is full of honey with a little brood. not feeding. do i leave box and not feed, or do i remove box, add feeder and new box?
Frank
Forest Oaks
New Beekeeper
Re: New Beekeeper
Welcome to the forum. There are several options and I'm sure you will get more than one to choose from. If the frames you have on the hive have been drawn and have bees between most of the frames of the top box, I would add another medium super in the top position. I might give them a week or so to see if they were bringing in enough nectar to draw comb without feeding. If they are not, you could feed to stimulate comb building. If you do this, you may want to consider putting a robber screen on the front of the hive and adding your feed as close to dusk as you can. (I'm assuming you are using a top feeder and not a boardman (jar) feeder.) When the flow slows and stops and there is a nectar dearth, the smell of sugar water in a feeder can trigger robbing. Adding feed at near dusk cuts down on potential robbing time and gives the bees overnight to take the feed and draw wax if they are so inclined.