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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Aaron Morris <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 5 Jun 2001 07:19:31 -0400
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> 1)  Get some "drone-sized foundation".  Many bee suppliers
>      sell it.
>
> 2)  Make up frames in the same size as your brood chamber
>      to hold the drone foundation.  Some might want to have
>      two drone frames per hive (see below for why).
>
>   2a)  You will have to wire the foundation into the frame,
>          as drone foundation comes as plain wax, no wires
>          built in.  (Don't know how?  Ask an old beekeeper
>          to show you.)

An alternative to assembling a frame with the drone foundation and wiring is
simply to insert a shallow frame in a deep hive body.  The bees will draw
drone comb in the vacant space.  When drawn and filled with capped drone
brood, rather than freezing, the sealed drone brood can be cut off the
bottom of the shallow frame.  Be sure to remove the cut off brood from the
bee yard.  Then just put the shallow frame back to repeat the cycle.

Pros: Less labor intensive (removes freezing step).  Assuming one has
shallow frames on hand, there is no building and wiring new frames.  Worker
brood in the shallow frame remains in the hive.

Cons: Are there any?

Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!

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