Demaree

[Rory Fields]

One of the good advantages of a demaree is the extra drawn brood comb and also the queen in the bottom has fresh comb for winter , no need for a Bailey change if conditions allow good flows you can do a demaree for a second time I opted out of doing a second and just reconfigured and had a qx between to brood boxes.

Which brings me to a query I had re getting the bees to rob out their own old frames of stores before I remove them - just place above the crownboard with a small hole for them to rob? I hate wasting their resources and work, so even black frames I'm eager to have stripped of nectar even whilst I realise they're never gonna rob out the pollen. Despite BBKA News, I'm not gonna leave the frames out in the open for all colonies to rob out and spread pathogens apiary-wide (though yes, drones will transfer)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Which brings me to a query I had re getting the bees to rob out their own old frames of stores before I remove them - just place above the crownboard with a small hole for them to rob? I hate wasting their resources and work, so even black frames I'm eager to have stripped of nectar even whilst I realise they're never gonna rob out the pollen. Despite BBKA News, I'm not gonna leave the frames out in the open for all colonies to rob out and spread pathogens apiary-wide (though yes, drones will transfer)

you'll struggle to get them to rob out the frames during a good flow.

 

[Curly green finger's]

you'll struggle to get them to rob out the frames during a good flow.

Aye best done when the flow eases

 

[Rory Fields]

I’ve had 18 demaree rolling this season some still going checking some of the bottom boxes today , but like @jenkinsbrynmair said they seem to leave the brood box above untill last to back fill supers in between have been drawn out and filled at an alarming rate , I’ll try and take a photo later I have one with 5 supers between and one above which I’ve put clearer boards on yesterday to extract from today .
Out of 18 two have swarmed because I’ve just not kept up with them .

But are the supers all drawn comb? I'm presuming that with many of mine being fresh foundation, my bees aren't behaving like Bryn's and instead are taking the understandably easier option of just backfilling the fully drawn brood comb in the top BB of the Demaree, more swiftly than a new queen can emerge, get mated and start laying up there.