Subject: Re: Jump start comb for new hive?

From: [email-masked] (David J Trickett)
Date: 29 Mar 1995 05:03:53 GMT

: Or should I just let nature take its course and wait for the bees
: to build the comb? Seems like a lot of work for a new nuc to have
: to build all the comb and gather pollen etc.

: I have some old frames with drawn comb that I've kept in the basement
: for the past 8 years, I caught a brief wax moth infestation and
: stopped it. Better to trash those older frames, or use them for
: brood frames for the new nuc?

Use them.  As you infer, this will save the colony much effort at a time
when it is not very strong, and allow the queen to begin laying almost
immediately.  Also, I know there's some dissagreement about feeding, but
*my experience* is that if you give them all the syrup they can take, you
will get faster colony build-up.  You can use a coffee can with holes
poked into the lid as a feeder.  (You can put it inside or outside, but I
find that a temporary plywood outercover with a large hole in it works
well.  Just put the inverted feeder on top of the cover, over the hole, and 
brace with a couple of bricks.  Make sure the location of the hole (and
therefore feeder) is not directly over the center of the nuc or the hive,
in case it drips.  I like this method becuase it's cheap and I don't have
to open the hive/nuc to add more syrup - also, unlike some feeder designs,
you don't risk drowning the bees.)

One thing, (it's probably obvious but can't hurt to add) *don't* use the 
frames if you think there's any cahnce of their having been exposed to 
foulbrood.  Also, be aware of the varroa mite problem - shouldn't be an 
issue right now, though.  (There's plenty of discussion on this newsgroup 
regarding that.)

Dave

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From: [email-masked] (Ed Sterling)
Date: 29 Mar 1995 04:24:05 GMT

Greetings,

I am new to this list. I kept 5 hives up in Canada from 81 to 86,
quite successful, and enjoyable. Traded the bees for babies in 87,
moved, and had to put beekeeping on the back burner. Psyched up
this Spring to get a few hives going again on a friends nearby farm.

I recall from earlier days wishing I had some drawn comb to offer
the queen when I started a new hive. Can I get any suggestions
on possible jump-start strategies for a new hive? I'd read about
plastic combs back around 1985, what's the status of that recently?
Should it be used only for honey storage, or will a queen lay in
it as well as true wax comb. Any other materials available?

Or should I just let nature take its course and wait for the bees
to build the comb? Seems like a lot of work for a new nuc to have
to build all the comb and gather pollen etc.

I have some old frames with drawn comb that I've kept in the basement
for the past 8 years, I caught a brief wax moth infestation and
stopped it. Better to trash those older frames, or use them for
brood frames for the new nuc?

Thanks for the advice.

Ed
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 "[email-masked]" | "A snowman makes the quietest sounds in the 
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