Subject: | |
From: | |
Reply To: | |
Date: | Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:30:50 -0600 |
Content-Type: | text/plain |
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
Has anyone any experience with drawing foundation below brood chambers?
I have a lot to draw and have been placing it above. The problem comes in
fall, when some is undrawn or partially drawn and cannot be left above the
brood chambers because the bees will follow the heat up and cluster there
and starve. Don't ask how I know.
Removing undrawn boxes and frames is a nuisance to the beekeeper and a
disruption to the bees.
On the other hand, if boxes of the new foundation were placed below the
brood chamber, then it would not interfere with wintering and need not be
removed in fall.
It is natural for bees to start building at the top of a cavity and extend
downwards, so this seems to me to be more natural than placing the new boxes
above, especially in a situation such as mine where no honey is to be
harvested anyhow. It would sure save me a lot of work and I could leave the
foundation on the hives until the bees finish it, even over winter. The
extra space below the occupied boxes enhances wintering -- exactly opposite
of what happens when extra empty space is located above.
***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm
|
|
|