# Picked up a second hive yesterday



## RonTgottagoat (Feb 27, 2014)

I got another hive from a guy locally yesterday. It was a full 10 frames. I put it in and added another box. This hive is all foundation less and seems to be doing well. I moved two drawn out combs from the ends of first box into center of the new box. The guy said that would encourage the bees to move into the new box and give more room in the bottom. When putting new box on I took a quick peek I saw some brood and lots of bees then closed it back up. I'm excited about them. Also I think it will help me learn more as I have two different hives to compare notes on. Both are relatively the same size so it will be neat to watch them both.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

It has long been suggested a person start out with 2 colony's so you can compare and have a second hive in case one requires help.

 Al


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## RonTgottagoat (Feb 27, 2014)

Yeah I was just able to find another one alley have you tried foundation less in your hives before? This new hive is all natural comb with no plastic. My first hive is on plastic foundation.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I use real wire wax foundation in my hive. No worry's when I move colonies bouncing on rough roads and such.
Might give a try to foundation free if I were only keeping them in my back yard.


 Al


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## RonTgottagoat (Feb 27, 2014)

Yeah I'm gonna leave the new hive foundation free I think as an experiment. I checkerboard end empty frames with foundation frames. I read somewhere to leave the foundation bordering the foundation less frames to guide them from making organized comb. I figure if the ones with no foundation are progressing ok I'll replace the three with empty frames??? I also moved an exterior frame from each end of 1st box into the newly given box. My other hive I didn't do that but next inspection I'll probably move a couple up to that second box as well.


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## Steve in PA (Nov 25, 2011)

I put a foundationless frame into my big hive the other week. I was out of foundation frames so I stole one from my swarm traps that didn't have foundation. They turned the whole thing into a drone frame. It's in the freezer now.










Congrats on the new hive! :goodjob:


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Nothing wrong with drone comb, good way to control the mites.

 Al


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## RonTgottagoat (Feb 27, 2014)

This am I noticed the bees from my older hive very active They were kind of bouncing around the front entrance. Making small circles etc but mostly facing hive. It was a little windy but the other hive was pretty calm with no noticeable excitement level. What's going on? Is that orientation flights of younger bees? Or something else? Thanks


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## RonTgottagoat (Feb 27, 2014)

Steve--- do you think that was because of u drawn frames?

Alley also you mentioned that's a good way to control mites. How so? Trying to learn


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## Steve in PA (Nov 25, 2011)

I don't know but I was quite surprised to see them draw a complete frame of drones this late in the year. I thought for sure putting a foundationless between drawn plastic frames they would draw it as regular comb.

There's some evidence that mites prefer drone comb to regular comb so removing capped drone comb and freezing it is one was to control mites. They even sell frames with plastic drone comb for that purpose.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

We use drone comb in our hives for mite control. Take it out about every 20 days and freeze it for 24 hours and kill all the mites in the drone cells then return it to a hive when we pull the next frame in 20 days.

 Al


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## WildPrGardens (Mar 8, 2014)

The mites can tell by pheronomes the difference between drone and worker bee larvae.

Just before the cell is capped off the mother mite hides in the cell.

The first offspring the mother mite produces is male so it can fertilize all the rest that are female, usually about three.

Because the drones take 3 extra days to develope the mother mite can produce one maybe 2 more daughter mites before the drone emerges.

And they seem to know that the drones are welcome in any hive with no challenge so the mite offspring can spread to other hives easily.

I don't believe the male mite survive long outside the cell.

One reason Africanized bees have less of a mite problem is they each develope a day sooner, thereby one less new mite.

By systematically killing drone cells the mite load on a hive can be significantly reduced.


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## RonTgottagoat (Feb 27, 2014)

So you pull drone frames every 20 days? Interesting Only if they are on a frame unto themselves right? Don't most drones get put on the edges of the worker frames? 

I was reading Ina book last night about using Formic acid for mites in fall after honey harvest , do you all do this? The guy I got my new hive from was I think saying he has something that shoulders it just inside the front door that treats the hive


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## Steve in PA (Nov 25, 2011)

This is a drone frame. I'm not endorsing the seller but it was just easy to google one there. I'm sure all of the suppliers carry some version of that. It's used as part of IPM pest management. 

I haven't used drone frames yet but I do use a screened bottom board.

I just finished my first dose of Oxalic Acid. I will do another round in September then another single dose after Thanksgiving when they are broodless. There are lots of ways to attack mites and they all require the beekeeper to make their own decisions about how to pursue them. It is probably the most controversial aspect of beekeeping.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I Now use mite away II, Place the patties per instructions. is also USDA approved as a organic method.
So with the use of screen bottom boards, drone comb and the formic acid we rarely see any mites on the sticky boards or doing a powder sugar roll.

*I also want to point out use the proper safety gear when using formic acid, rubber gloves and a respirator.* 

 Al


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## RonTgottagoat (Feb 27, 2014)

Alley when do you put the mite away in? And do you do this as a prevention or based on a test? I'm in Louisiana and I think the fall flow of golden rod is getting ready to start. I'm guessing I would do it after the flow stops?

I observed the hives this am. Lots of bees flooding in all looked to have full pollen sacs. I think watching the bees may be more relaxing than watching a fish tank. Cool stuff


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

We will do ours in the fall once the day time temps stay below 75F all day. Spring treatment is as soon as the long range forecast is saying above 50F for 7 days.
Read this.
https://www.dadant.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/MiteAwayinstructionsDadant2.pdf

Use rubber gloves and a respirator.

Stuff works rarely find any mites on the sticky boards during mite counts we do.

 Al


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## RonTgottagoat (Feb 27, 2014)

Ok thanks I'll need that by late October early November I
Suppose I'll check out that link as well


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