Hello Bee-Liners !
 
On Sat Mar 9, 1996 Allen Dick[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
 
> For me, 10% (average) is a safe amount of brood comb to replace any
> year.  Some hives will do more, some cannot even do that.  Swarms are
> quite happy to do a lot more
 
Kevin & Ann Christensen <[log in to unmask]> wrote as they do
 
I quite agree, in beekeeping it's nothing automatically applied to the
whole apiary.  But IMO, each year, one *must change* some brood
chamber combs.  In our area (50D North) we do this in the spring when
the day time is really increasing (Apr 15-June 15).  After that combs
building become more difficult and honey consuming.  A good idea is to
use an honey crop: at this time, with my buckfast bees, it costs no
honey - on the contrary, it's a harvesting stimulus : importance to
comprehend the bee cluster ecology !
 
As I use honey supers with different frames (Dadant) I'm usually
putting 2 or 3 new centered foundations each time I add a new super. I
try to run with frames no more than 5 years old : the super frames
becomes also darker after some years ... and clear (robinia) honey
becomes darker in this combs.
 
Regards
 
Jean-Marie <[log in to unmask]>
 
Local blooming informations ...
Lat.Long. : N:50.30' E:04.56'  -  Alt. : 200 m  -  North sea : 200 km
 
Two days of cold but sunny time (max 11DC) : all the colonies are
flying One was queenless (more dead and sound different) but I
introduced without problem one of my reserved queen: she was on a 10
cm open brood.  First yellow crocus and hazel pollen.  Amazing.
 
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Jean-Marie Van Dyck                    Fax +32 81 72 42 72
B.P. 102                               email : [log in to unmask]
B-5000     NAMUR(Belgium)              Medical school - Biochemistry dept
 
Sorry for my poor english : Je parle francais !
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