Drone frame.

[keith pierce]

I always insert a drone frame at the start of the summer, but i find that they do damage to the frames either side because the hoffman style frame is a little too narrow. Could someone tell me the correct width for drone cells back to back and a bee space.

 

[Finman]

I always insert a drone frame at the start of the summer, but i find that they do damage to the frames either side because the hoffman style frame is a little too narrow. Could someone tell me the correct width for drone cells back to back and a bee space.

So it does. Hoffman is not too narrow but drone cells are fat.they are long on boath side.

Mark the drone frame and lift first two to next that you reliese the frame from the gap.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I always insert a drone frame at the start of the summer,.

Why?

 

[birdsandbees]

Why?

maybe its to ensure that there are sufficient Drones around for Queen mating (he says optimistically)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

maybe its to ensure that there are sufficient Drones around for Queen mating (he says optimistically)

As long as it's not some misguided attempt at drone culling to control varroa - another method found rather pointless by LASI

 

[Teemore]

Knowing Keith and his general beekeeping location, his intention is to produce viable drones. As the season progresses I find re-engineered combs in a lot of colonies where they have replaced worker comb with drone comb and trimmed the face of the adjoining comb to accomodate this. "Loss" of worker comb is one of the reasons why I have been trying out a couple of 14x12 hives over the past few seasons and also brood and a half on a number of colonies over the summer. If you run 11 frames + dummy you have a wee bit of scope to adjust frame spacing to suit the drone comb.

 

[B+.]

As long as it's not some misguided attempt at drone culling to control another method found rather pointless by LASI

LASI seem to have a knack for finding things that other researchers found long ago.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

LASI seem to have a knack for finding things that other researchers found long ago.

............that and selling dud queens

 

[Finman]

.
Drone frames are very usefull in beekeeping.
Colony rear drones what ever you do. They have strong instincts to get them. It is one of their main purposes in life: To deliver genes...

If you do not give space to draw drone cells, bees do them however here and there. Sometimes they tear down foundations and make drone cells.

I put into langstroth frame medium size foundation. Then bees have 1/3 frame gap for drones. Those frames I put to the hive 2 pieces.

A whole drone frame is too much.

When I inspect hives, I cut a drone zone away, and bees can rear again new drone brood.
K
In natural comb hives bees do 25-30% drone combs. I try to keep them under 10%

Bees are very happy when they have drones. I do not believe much to varroa control via drone culling. But I can see from drone brood the varroa level, how severe is amount of mites.
.

 

[Finman]

maybe its to ensure that there are sufficient Drones around for Queen mating (he says optimistically)

There are enough drones on air what ever you do.
. And you are not alone with your apiary.

 

[mazzamazda]

.
Drone frames are very usefull in beekeeping.
Colony rear drones what ever you do. They have strong instincts to get them. It is one of their main purposes in life: To deliver genes...

If you do not give space to draw drone cells, bees do them however here and there. Sometimes they tear down foundations and make drone cells.

I put into langstroth frame medium size foundation. Then bees have 1/3 frame gap for drones. Those frames I put to the hive 2 pieces.

A whole drone frame is too much.

When I inspect hives, I cut a drone zone away, and bees can rear again new drone brood.
K
In natural comb hives bees do 25-30% drone combs. I try to keep them under 10%

Bees are very happy when they have drones. I do not believe much to varroa control via drone culling. But I can see from drone brood the varroa level, how severe is amount of mites.
.

My frames which are similar to 14x12, bees like to make 2 frames per 10 frame hive drone, as soon as they have made them they store honey in the cells so not drone frames for very long. I'm foundation free.

 

[Finman]

My frames which are similar to 14x12, bees like to make 2 frames per 10 frame hive drone, as soon as they have made them they store honey in the cells so not drone frames for very long. I'm foundation free.

So 2 drone frames and 8 worker frames. 2-2-2-2

How we calculate that? 20% out of all or drones 25% out of workers?

But that information is interesting.

Hmm. My bees start to rear drones in May and stop rearing in July. Then a month later workers kill the drones. Cut areas bees build with worker cells in late July.

First rearing is most important because they take resources from foragers 1.5 months later. Main yield foragers are layed on the late half of the May. Home bees are needed as well too for main yield and it happens at the first half of June. Drone rearing has a big influence on main yield if they can do drones freely

.I bet that it is vain to compare my and your drone production to each other.
If we compare yield losses, natural combs are very expencive and so is drone cultication too.
.

 

[Erichalfbee]

............that and selling dud queens

So far....not so good though I am ever hopeful. Next year we'll see.
I will keep you all posted if anybody is minutely interested

 

[B+.]

So far....not so good though I am ever hopeful. Next year we'll see.
I will keep you all posted if anybody is minutely interested

Yes please. Especially interested to hear how hygienic the are (since this was the original claim)

 

[Poly Hive]

Those that can do, those that cannot teach.

work it out for your self this cynic thinks... bee plight, public emotion, grant money... woo GRANTS!!!! Gravy time.

Say no more.

PH

 

[B+.]

Those that can do, those that cannot teach.

What do "those who cannot teach" do?

 

[BMH]

What do "those who cannot teach" do?

Teach PE

 

[BMH]

Those that can do, those that cannot teach.

work it out for your self this cynic thinks... bee plight, public emotion, grant money... woo GRANTS!!!! Gravy time.

Say no more.

PH

What about those who don't know how to use punctuation?

 

[Finman]

What about those who don't know how to use punctuation?

they must get a life
.

 

[mazzamazda]

So 2 drone frames and 8 worker frames. 2-2-2-2

How we calculate that? 20% out of all or drones 25% out of workers?

But that information is interesting.

Hmm. My bees start to rear drones in May and stop rearing in July. Then a month later workers kill the drones. Cut areas bees build with worker cells in late July.

First rearing is most important because they take resources from foragers 1.5 months later. Main yield foragers are layed on the late half of the May. Home bees are needed as well too for main yield and it happens at the first half of June. Drone rearing has a big influence on main yield if they can do drones freely

.I bet that it is vain to compare my and your drone production to each other.
If we compare yield losses, natural combs are very expencive and so is drone cultication too.
.

Probably nearer 2 drone frames, 2 honey/pollen and 6 worker at the start of the year (Early March) then April 2 honey/pollen 1/2 drone and 7.5 worker, reducing through the year. Most drones here gone but usually try and keep one queenless hive up to now to supply drones for the last queens then shake out anytime now. Yield would be very difficult to compare, you will win hands down as most of my bees are used for splits and queen rearing.