20181118 - Grass Hive transfer to larger TBH box

So our Grass Hive is flourishing.
So much so it now needs a move to a larger TBH box
Current box Grass Hive resides in had 15 top bars, while this larger one has 30 top bars - this is equivalent to a Langstroth brood box with two supers

Yes, the current box still a few top bars yet to be drawn out - but with so many bees hatching each day I want to ensure plenty of room for expansion - and hopefully early next year a future split (or two) to expand number of hives I look after

Need also to think about queen extruders - most naturalist (if i can say that) TBH keepers don't use them but my Langstroth background is biasing me!

So next I dug out one of my larger TBH boxes from storage made a few months ago
I added a couple of long pieces of pine underneath the box and attached these with coach bolts
These will stabilize the TBH box and secure it to the steel stand (no more fallen hives and crushed frame/bees for me!)

I then secured a removable feeder station into rear of TBH box

I have been substitute feeding the bees for two weeks but might not need it now as recent start of the wet season must have started some flowering as the bees coming back to the hive have loaded legs.

We (my daughters and I - one in bee suit, the other perched on  high position watching from a distance) opened up the old box, shifted it aside and transferred the top bars one by one, after an inspection of course. We again didn't see the queen but the host of nymphs and capped brood indicate the queen is busy doing what she should. Good brood groups on the comb too - as in no spotting of brood but full coverage on middle of comb - so she is really doing her job well.

Once larger TBH box was in the position of the original smaller TBH box, we checked the larger TBH box was level (so combs have more of chance to be drawn straight). Having the entrance of this larger TBH in the same place as the old box allows less stress for returning foraging/worker bees.

Most of the rest of the frames transferred - all had a little comb drawn if not three of them full combs filling all available space - awesomely full of brood, nearly all had honey stores. 

Only one frame has any capped honey but the plethora of brood holds well for this TBH's future.

Seems a very contented hive - very busy with bee life.

Had to add 5mm spacers around the honey comb top bars (2 of them) as the wax was drawn well beyond edge of the 32mm wide top bar. Some TBH keepers recommend two sizes of top bars 32mm for brood frames and 38mm for honey frames. Others go just 32 and some 38mm, as too all 32s and add in 5mm spacers when needed. This is where the queen excluder comes into it - - I am thinking 32mm at front of TBH and past the excluder - 38s for honey production. Will mull over this and other theories for a bit yet as not looking to harvest honey till Feb 2019 - if at all for 2019 while building up and splitting hives to increase TBH numbers.

So the hive was healthy and full, but now with a bit more space

The old medium sized TBH box all set up again - ready for next swarm or hive split