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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
LLOYDSPEAR <[log in to unmask]>
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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 15 Oct 2002 08:32:26 -0400
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Mark asked why his bees refused to draw foundation in Ross Round supers,
although they were willing to do so in cut comb supers.  Two previous
answers said that the primary reason was because the bees were not
sufficiently crowded.

I agree.  In fact, one of the primary ways I recognize a 'true expert' is
whether a beekeeper can consistently produce Ross Rounds above two brood
boxes!  That said, no commercial beekeeper that I know produces any kind of
comb sections above more than one brood box.  It is just easier that way.
On the other hand, all the commercial cut comb producers I know produce cut
comb on top of 2 brood boxes or 2 brood boxes plus a super.  Again, it is
easiest to produce cut comb that way.

To reduce whole chapters to a few words, large-scale successful production
of section comb honey calls for:

1.  Spring hive buildup in at least two deep brood boxes, with three being
better.

2.  Reduction of the hive from 2-3 brood boxes to one when a major flow
begins or just after.

3.  Use of a queen that has not been over wintered.  (Many producers start
their comb honey hives from spring nucs, others change the queen when the
hive is reduced to a single brood box.)

DO NOT use a queen excluder.  Unnecessary (with Ross Rounds) and actually
harmful to swarm control measures.

While there are a host of sub-titles I have not dealt with (such as, what to
do with excess brood and bees when the hive is reduced; how to introduce a
new queen to a hive that has been reduced from 3 brood boxes to 1;
additional swarm control measures; etc.) hobbyists will be most successful
if they also follow the above four principles.  Alternatively, and perhaps
most simply, hobbyists can have reasonable success if they produce Ross
Round sections above a 1 1/2 story hive.  By allowing more room, this
reduces (not eliminates)the need for swarm control and the beekeeper trauma
associated with reducing a booming hive to a single brood box.  See
http://bee.airoot.com/beeculture/months/99may/99may.htm for more details.
If that link does not work try http://bee.airoot.com/beeculture.  From there
select Archives, then May, 1999, then the two articles on comb honey
production.

I hope this helps.  Every hobbyist should produce comb honey as nothing else
(except possibly queen production) teaches a person more about becoming a
beekeeper instead of a bee-haver.
Lloyd
Lloyd Spear, Owner of Ross Rounds, manufacturer of comb honey equipment
for beekeepers and Sundance pollen traps.
http://www.rossrounds.com
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