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General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #11338  by JoJo36
 28 Jun 2021, 12:12
If I dummy board one end, can I just fill the gap with odd offcuts, not necessarily cut to size?
I've got insulation I used over winter, but don't want to cut them as they are right size to use again!
 #11339  by Alfred
 28 Jun 2021, 15:21
Nothing stopping you but just k an eye out in case they get all ocd and propolise it.
They can be found chewing unsealed edges too if the item is blocking their plans.
 #11340  by Steve 1972
 28 Jun 2021, 17:22
JoJo36 wrote:
28 Jun 2021, 12:12
If I dummy board one end, can I just fill the gap with odd offcuts, not necessarily cut to size?
I've got insulation I used over winter, but don't want to cut them as they are right size to use again!
You could try it but from experience the bees could start chewing it up..
 #11342  by JoJo36
 28 Jun 2021, 18:11
Thanks for all advice!
I went out and bought a sheet of Kingspan today and cut two chunks of brood size rectangles out of it, however my cut was slightly short but nothing a few nails to create lugs won't fix:)
Also, the 'slow hives' seemed much busier today so I just left them and didn't bother with the kingspan anyway!!
One of my two hives on Snelgrove boards is still making queen cups although not loaded! Also the flying bees underneath have made 3 new queen cells not there 3 days ago. Pulled 1 down and left them to develop a new queen!
Other one behaving at the moment!
 #11343  by Steve 1972
 28 Jun 2021, 18:47
Shame you where not closer as I have mountains of kingspan off cuts as I work around builders every week..the same applies to anyone near me who needs any bits rather than spending a small fortuna on a full sheet.
 #11345  by MickBBKA
 28 Jun 2021, 23:14
After the torrential rain on Friday and Saturday I have been and poured the water out of my Abelo poly hives, literally had to tip the boxes on their corners one by one. :roll:
 #11348  by Steve 1972
 29 Jun 2021, 00:12
MickBBKA wrote:
28 Jun 2021, 23:14
After the torrential rain on Friday and Saturday I have been and poured the water out of my Abelo poly hives, literally had to tip the boxes on their corners one by one. :roll:
You must be doing something different to me Mick.. I have Ten colonies in boxes at the moment with no issues..by the way you have to put roofs on colonies.. ;)
 #11349  by JoJo36
 29 Jun 2021, 05:09
Thanks Steve but you are right, Devon bit far away!

Saw a good demaree split earlier on tv and might try that if my current hives keep making queen cells despite the split with a snelgrove board twice, they seem very determined.!

My bees have been calm on inspection but I keep thinking they are 'planning something' when I'm not looking!! :)

Weather very humid here and some rain forecast in a few days......
 #11351  by NigelP
 29 Jun 2021, 08:23
Yes there have been some determined swarmers this year even after Snelgrove adaption. Running at 50% for me this year. So I've removed queens to a nuc reunited both brood boxes. Given them some eggs from a decent strain and let them get on with it.
At this time of the year wouldn't worry too much about filling in the space when you upgrade to a nuc with Kingspan etc. This warm weather it's not a major issue. I've simply upgraded nucs directly to 11 frame brood boxes giving them a a mixture of drawn and undrawn comb and placed their stores and pollen frames at the outer edges. Yes I know the books tell you not to leave gaps /wry grin/ Queens are know laying in most of these extra added frames. Some will need supers very soon.
 #11354  by JoJo36
 29 Jun 2021, 09:02
I did the queen removal method last year and re-joined the colony eventually.
I suppose it's worth trying anything as different methods work for different hives.
I get the feeling that my bees are 'playing nice when I inspect and are covering up a giant queen cell I've missed!! :)
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