# How many bees are too many for one box



## dbmcalva (May 21, 2014)

I'm a newbee so I don't know what the "rule" is for adding another box but it seems you made the right call on the 2 nucs before so whatever gauge you were using seems to work. How did you determine they were crowded before and added the medium nuc? 
I'm curious to know what's considered "crowded" myself because of a bunch of bees I got from a cutout yesterday. Put them in a 10 deep but was worried there were too many for the one box. I don't know if there's different consideration between an established hive or a trapout. Hope it works out for you. Bret


----------



## tomkat (Apr 27, 2014)

Take what you have captured and continue the trap out. If by chance you see brood you have a hive. Count your blessing not bees.


----------



## tomkat (Apr 27, 2014)

dbmcalva said:


> I'm a newbee so I don't know what the "rule" is for adding another box but it seems you made the right call on the 2 nucs before so whatever gauge you were using seems to work. How did you determine they were crowded before and added the medium nuc?
> I'm curious to know what's considered "crowded" myself because of a bunch of bees I got from a cutout yesterday. Put them in a 10 deep but was worried there were too many for the one box. I don't know if there's different consideration between an established hive or a trapout. Hope it works out for you. Bret


 add a box, if you have a flow going they will store for winter. Also again if you have the queen keep inspections every week.


----------



## devil dog (Jul 1, 2014)

This is day 22. No eggs yet. Two weeks ago Monday the 30th (day 7) I had several open queen cells and a couple capped ones on the frame of eggs and brood I had put in (day 2) from my hive at home. I opened it yesterday ( July14th
, day 21) for the first time since I saw the queen cells. There were no eggs when I opened the hive but the queen cells and any sign of them is gone. I'm hoping I have eggs or larva by the time I check it again this weekend. There are almost no (10-20) bees on the screen covering the hole whenever I go by to check. I haven't seen anything come out in the last few visits I have made. I only stay about 30 minutes to watch for outgoing bees.
The bees seem to not be as aggressive as they were initially three weeks ago. One to three would get in your face if you were within about 20ft of the hive. After looking in th ebox three to five would follow me back to my truck and fight with their reflection in the back glass. They show no interest in my being there now. Could that be a sign that there is a new queen in my hive?


----------



## DJhoney (Jul 15, 2014)

So what is the status since you last checked in?


----------



## devil dog (Jul 1, 2014)

I took them home Friday night, day 25. No signs of eggs as of Saturday afternoon. I put another frame of eggs and brood in just in case. According to the schedule from beeyard.org I may have still been early to see eggs. I wll check Thursday to see if there are eggs or larva or if they are making more queen cells. 
I pulled the screen off yesterday and stuffed it in the hole in the tree and then filled the cavity with cement.


----------

