# Bucks County, PA



## Rototiller (Apr 20, 2017)

Let's try this again...

I have less then one week experience as a bee carer...not a Keeper yet!

I have a ton of questions that videos on YouTube don't seem to answer. My package may have had two queens, as the marked one in the queen cage was dead, so said my supplier. I need to wait another week and see what happens since I'm starting with new foundation. My bees don't seem to like my Rite-Cell foundation as they are making burr comb on the bottom of my telescopic cover around the plastic sugar-water containers. My supplier suggested I remove the inner cover and place the containers directly on the frames. I'm trying too stay out of the hive but I can't see what the level of the sugar-water is.


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## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

Does the burr comb have eggs in it?
Bill


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## Rototiller (Apr 20, 2017)

whiskers said:


> Does the burr comb have eggs in it?
> Bill


Really chilly today, I'm going to look again tomorrow when it is suppose to be in the 70's. Put some fresh sugar-water in also. Cluster way too big to cut the burr comb out and attach to a new frame.

Donald


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Welcome!


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

It's warmer up there under the telecover and the food is close. So it's not surprising the bees, having studied their new digs carefuly, decided to set up housekeeping there. But you will need to interrupt that decision and get them squared away or you may wind up doing much greater harm later on. I'd order a better feeder, either a top one or a frame one so that you can get them drawing combs down where they're "supposed to". The idea of feeding as you are now works fine once the bees have already committed to combs on the frames below.

You could also buy some beeswax and coat the Rite Cell with an extra layer of it. I do that with my Pierco frames and the bees take to them like ducks to water. If you order wax and more Rite-Cell you could paint it on liberally, then go in and swap out any frames they haven't already started on.

And welcome to beekeeping and Beesource! I think your area will be very good for bees. A long time ago I went to a Quaker high school outside of Newtown, so I know it well.

Enjambres


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## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

The reason I asked about eggs in the burr comb is because you indicated some question about whether your hive is queenright. Eggs, wherever you find them, would be presumptive evidence that it is. Another approach to getting them started drawing comb, which some here will like and others will hate, is to give them one frame with only a guide to suggest where the comb should go. Popsicle sticks for example. With a wall of foundation on either side they will be likely to build straight, but you will have to watch them.
Bill


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## Rototiller (Apr 20, 2017)

can't I purchased 10 assembled frames with Rite-Cell wax coated plastic foundation from Mann-Lake and have 7 of these plus a few foundationless frames in the bottom brood box that the bees don't seem to want to live in. I removed the two 2-1/2 qt. plastic containers of sugar-water and made up two outside open feeders, bees are not too interested in them either. Two pieces of burr comb broke off so I attached them to an empty frame, they have pollen and nectar in some cells, no eggs I can see, wedgelock with the wedge set up for foundationless and some bees wax painted on and fishing line as guide. There is still some burr comb on the top cover and the tin can from the package still has juice in it. I'm thinking I'm going to remove the burr comb on the top cover and fill the second brood box up with frames, I still have a few Rite-Cell frames not in use. The bees are all over the inside top cover and front left corner of the second brood box. Since I can't confirm if I have a queen I don't want to shake them off and lose her.

BTW I'm running medium 8-frame boxes that hold 9-frames.

Thanks for the help, I just need to let them do their thing for a week, that's why I went open feed so I would stay out.


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

Comb has a top and bottom orientation, and hanging those pieces as you have done may not have preserved that. If you study the cells there should be definite, though subtle, tilt downwards towards the back of the cells when the piece is oriented correctly and right side up. Think of it as keeping the babies from falling out of their cradles.

Enj.


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## Rototiller (Apr 20, 2017)

enjambres said:


> Comb has a top and bottom orientation, and hanging those pieces as you have done may not have preserved that. If you study the cells there should be definite, though subtle, tilt downwards towards the back of the cells when the piece is oriented correctly and right side up. Think of it as keeping the babies from falling out of their cradles.
> 
> Enj.


I'm aware of the orientation of the cell angles and had attached them correctly the best I could tell...Thanks 

Hopefully the weather will be decent tomorrow and I'm going back in for a major adjustment of frames and equipment.


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## Rototiller (Apr 20, 2017)

Today was the day I was going in with guns blazing. I used the hat/veil for the first time, and heavy smoke, even rubberized gloves.

The bees were actually quite calm, took the gloves off not long after starting, I felt a few attempts at stinging my left elbow but they left my face alone. Steps Done:

Removed top cover and place bottom up and smoked the bees, they really didn't respond. Removed three pieces of burr comb, 2 about 1" x 1-1/2" and one 8" x 7"(made two chucks from this to fit in a medium frame. Attached the two smaller pieces to the previous framed burr comb.

I placed the two frames with burr comb in the middle of the brood box, added plastic foundation wooded frame on both sides including one empty mid-bar frame I had made, for a total of 8-frames. I then added the inner cover I made with two wire mesh holes for Mason Jar with drip holes and a hole where I mounted a small Mason Jar for comb honey.

There were bees everywhere so I left the top cover off because the bees would not fly off even when I banged it. After a few hours the bees were kinda where I wanted them, or not where I didn't want them so I installed the top cover. So tonight all of the bees should be on the frames. I can not find a queen or capped brood cells. None of the frames had been drawn out. Only the burr comb had any pollen or nectar plus two cells on the newest small piece had eggs in them, but no queen found.

I called my supplier for a replacement queen, he has not called me back yet. If I could had found the queen I could walk away and let nature do it thing.


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