On Mon, 19 Aug 1996 20:51:40 +0200, VOCA wrote:
>Bee Liners;
>.......
> Do any of you have
>any experience with conversion from Dadant-Blatts to langstroth?
>
>Bill Lord
>temporarily in Sofia Bulgaria.
 
Friends,
According to my experience the best way how to change the frame measure is
the folowing one (central European climate):
 
1. Make colonies queenless in the middle of June.
2. Test colonies after 7 - 9 days and leave only one good queen cell in
   each of them. Shake bees from frames when doing this otherwise you will
   ferget some hidden cells what could lead to swarming.
3. In the middle of June (after a month, when in our conditions the main
   nectar flow regularly is finished), colonies are broodless and new
   queens start egg laying. This is the time for shaking colonies on new
   frames with foundations. They are in the swarm conditions and when
   fed with sugar solution they build beautifull combs. The period till the
   end of August is than sufficient for  preparing strong winter colonies.
   The time without capped brood can be also used for Varroa treatment
   when this is necessary. The honey yield is nearly the some as with
   untreated colonies.
 
Many other methods may seem to be better, but this one brings the best
results.
Wishing you sunny days,
Vladimir Ptacek