# Is this Normal Bee Behavior



## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

BeeTheBee said:


> Package installed a week ago-the bees released the Queen no issues there. 3 partial straight combs georgous...Question is...
> 
> I did not see the Queen-The 1 comb I inspected was all sugar syrup is that Normal? (did not want to disturb the hive any more)
> 
> ...


your bees are getting plenty of food from the sugar syrup. They are probably young and may be busy covering brood. Unfortunately, with only looking at 1 frame of sugar-honey and the entrance to the hive, you don't know much. You should probably do a real inspection.


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## GHEN (May 16, 2015)

Hi,

I am very new at this as well so take this with a grain of salt:

I would wait a week from your last "look see" and then go in and do a full inspection. Don't stress about not seeing the queen, just insure there are larvae and you know she is there doing her job.

I am glad I did a full inspection on week on...there were hive beetles in my package and my week one inspection revealed a large mass of larvae I was able to clean out of there.

many new beeks open their hives too often, and that can be a problem, but weekly inspections shouldn't be overly stressful to the bees as long as you are efficient and calm.

Good luck,,

GHEN


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

I'd suggest not waiting that long in a foundationless hive.

Is there pollen coming in on the bees?


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

GHEN said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am very new at this as well so take this with a grain of salt:
> 
> ...


I think weekly is too often as it takes the bees a lot of time and energy to put the hive back in order. When there is a concern an inspection is in order no matter how long it has been or how new the hive is.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

A hive just getting established foundationless... a week is far too long in my opinion. Every 3-4 days for the first 2-2.5 weeks straightening comb each time. In a Lang it can be really simple as you can pop the inner cover and maybe see if there are any that need to be straightened. It's one of the reasons I'm leaving fully foundationless behind. Just plain too much diddling in the hive, and I agree that each time you open the hive it sets them back. I've noticed if I'm in there for very long at all foraging activity may stop and entrance activity will be lighter for quite some time afterwards.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Sorry dsegrest but I have to disagree with you on this one. With a hive on foundationless frames. (And I am assuming foundationless because the original poster (OP) made mention the comb was straight. It always is on foundation.) A hive can go seriously awry in a week if left for two and the bees are drawing cross comb or doubling up the energy to get things back in order after tearing out comb will be far greater. I am not saying a full inspection every week is required. but a check to see that all is well would offer benefits. If the OP is does not verify a laying queen then a month could be disastrous.


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## GHEN (May 16, 2015)

dsegrest said:


> I think weekly is too often as it takes the bees a lot of time and energy to put the hive back in order. When there is a concern an inspection is in order no matter how long it has been or how new the hive is.


Aaah, I missed the reference to foundationless. I was assuming a Langstroth hive.

Thanks,

GHEN


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Inspect frequently on a top bar. The damages done by an inspection on a top bar hive compared to a langstroth is minimal. 

The comb of solid nectar will be switching over to brood. That is just how it works. The first comb gets packed with honey ...the building materials. Honey in a bee hive is not static and gets moved around. In your case they have to build somewhere to move it to. It sounds like your hive is doing normal bee stuff but better take a look see justin case.


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