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Blinov method for fast spring increase
Introduction
The queen will not lay eggs unless all four are present:
- Proteins (pollen)
- Energy (sugar/honey)
- Water ( to make royal jelly)
- Temperature.
The Blinov method provides all except of water:
- Pollen on frame(s) outside the follower board
- Honey/sugar on frame outside the follower board
- N/A
- Temperature in the broodnest inside follower boards easy to maintain by crowded bees covering “black” those couple frames.
Procedure
- Restrict brood nest using a follower board (not a divider board) to number of frames covered by bees (usually 4-5) minus 1-2, so that the bees are crowded and can keep bigger surface warm for the queen to lay eggs.
- Add an empty comb frame at the follower board inside the brood nest area.
- Add an uncapped frame with stores on the other side of the follower board.
- The bees will move from outside the brood nest to inside and congest it. This will make the area warmer for the queen to lay eggs.
- The bees will bring food from uncapped comb to the brood nest as needed.
- When the empty comb frame is full of eggs add another empty frame inside the brood nest area at the follower board. This could be now empty frame which had uncapped stores.
- Uncap next frame with stores when needed.
- Remember that 1 sq in of brood makes 3 sq in of bees. 1 frame of brood → 3 frames of bees.
- Romanian Beekeeper has a YouTube video in English
Sergiey Gopka Method
This is a version similar to a Blinov method. There are YouTube videos where the Siberian beekeeper Gopka shows how he does it in his Dadant hives.
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