I have 2 hives, one's strong, one's weak (the weak one had a pesticide issue early summer so I don't have much expectation with them but it's strengthening up.)
This stronger hive still hasn't gone up to the honey super and started building foundation.
Yesterday I took out the 10th frame in the second brood box, walled with capped honey.
Yesterday I also took off the Q excluder I had put on 3 weeks ago. I recently read "Q excluder=honey excluder, if the Q can't get up there the workers won't either".
Hmmm?
So I'm thinking I should let her go up there, spread some scent around so the workers go up there and get to work building foundation, then put the Q excluder back on once they've gotten to work.
Does this make sense?
If not why won't a strong hive (they are packed, even bearding on rainy days) go up there and get going?
I've attached a picture of them bearding, it's lightly raining when I took the picture, but had been raining all day.
Isn't it getting late for them to have not even started yet?
Thanks!
This stronger hive still hasn't gone up to the honey super and started building foundation.
Yesterday I took out the 10th frame in the second brood box, walled with capped honey.
Yesterday I also took off the Q excluder I had put on 3 weeks ago. I recently read "Q excluder=honey excluder, if the Q can't get up there the workers won't either".
Hmmm?
So I'm thinking I should let her go up there, spread some scent around so the workers go up there and get to work building foundation, then put the Q excluder back on once they've gotten to work.
Does this make sense?
If not why won't a strong hive (they are packed, even bearding on rainy days) go up there and get going?
I've attached a picture of them bearding, it's lightly raining when I took the picture, but had been raining all day.
Isn't it getting late for them to have not even started yet?
Thanks!