Hello from Southern Illinois

[Rocketcaver]

Hi all from Southern Illinois!
I grew up in a tiny town in Hamilton County (population about 50) and now live and work in a bit bigger small town in the same county (population about 3000).

I got started in bee keeping in the late 80's and had a great time with the bees for several years and made lots of beekeeping friends.
Then due to a series of events that life likes to throw at us, I had to give the bees up, and as friends so in such circumstances we all drifted apart.
Now, a couple of years ago I found that a colony of bees had moved into one of my old hive boxes.
Of course that box had no frames in it, so it's packed with cross come and lots of very happy bees.
The same year I was given an old squirrel box that was also filled with cross comb and bees.
It never rains but it pours!
I tried putting a new box with frames on top of the hive body hoping the bees would move up into it, but
no luck.  Same with the squirrel box.
The bees will go up into the new box to eat the feed I put there, but didn't even draw out any comb in either case.
I don't have access to any drawn comb to give them.
I have read about breaking up the old hive and wiring the old comb into the new frames but have never done anything like that.  Is that my only option?
The last time I checked, a nice warm day a couple of weeks ago, there were still lots of bees in both boxes.
I would like to salvage both these colonies and get back in the bee biz.
Any suggestions appreciated.

[Cindi]

Rocketcaver.  Welcome to our forum. Interesting name in your avitar, by the way.  You have found the place that will be a learning tool for you.  You can ask all your questions and great answers will flow.  We have beekeepers that have been keeping bees all their lives, all the way up to newbies and ones who don't have bees yet.  We are all addicted to this field of apiculture, we are under the spell of those bees, as so many of us have found out and will find out.  I think it is one of the most beautiful hobbies/careers, call it what you may in the world. 

Some interesting stuff has happened at your place with the bees moving in.  You will manage those bees to do what you want, hee, hee (to a certain extent anyways).  They are survivor stock, that is obvious.  You have some good genetic traits going on there, they are still alive, without human intervention, that is excellent and you should propagate those strains, yeah!!!!  Have a wonderful and beautiful day, we be lovin' this life we live.  Cindi

[Rocketcaver]

Hi Cindi, thanks for the welcome.
As for "rocketcaver" I used to be into high powered amateur rocketry.
Also my wife and I used to go caving a lot.
Haven't done either much in recent years, but the name stuck.

[Brian D. Bray]

Hi Cindi, thanks for the welcome.
As for "rocketcaver" I used to be into high powered amateur rocketry.
Also my wife and I used to go caving a lot.
Haven't done either much in recent years, but the name stuck.

With a background like that you must have experienced a lot of highs and lows in your life.

[Rocketcaver]

More than you think.
We also used to skydive.

[Cindi]

Rocketcaver, oooh, that is cool.

Brian, you are a funnnneeeee dude!!!  You always come up with the funniest things to say to people, and yes, you bring that smile to my face, and make me laugh that squeaky little laugh this morning.  Beautiful life, beautiful day, love all that is beautiful, and it all is....Cindi

[JP]

Quote:I tried putting a new box with frames on top of the hive body hoping the bees would move up into it, but
no luck.  Same with the squirrel box.
The bees will go up into the new box to eat the feed I put there, but didn't even draw out any comb in either case.
I don't have access to any drawn comb to give them.
I have read about breaking up the old hive and wiring the old comb into the new frames but have never done anything like that.  Is that my only option?
The last time I checked, a nice warm day a couple of weeks ago, there were still lots of bees in both boxes.
I would like to salvage both these colonies and get back in the bee biz.
Any suggestions appreciated.

Hey Rocket first off welcome and glad to see you are back on the beekeeping horse, now saddle up partner! Ok, about those bees in the two boxes. You say you added boxes with frames, were they empty frames or did they include foundation? If its foundation, what kind? Sometimes bees don't want to draw out what we give them. Give us some feedback so we can better help you there. You may at some point have to cut and transfer some broodcomb and move it up into the new box, but they will more than likely move up on their on. Once the queen moves up and is laying you will more than likely want to use a queen excluder to sequester her in the top hive body, then remove the bottom body, then you could add another atop that. This way you get rid of all the cross comb and have something manageable to work with. Give us some feedback and we can take it from there. Welcome back!

Sincerely, JP

[Rocketcaver]

JP,
Yes, it was brand new wax foundation in the frames.
Mostly they ignored it, but they did chew holes in it here and there.
I'm planning a trip to my Dadant dealer in the next couple of weeks, I'll get some new foundation while there as this is brittle now and has lost it's "foundation smell".
I have the queen excluder; you pretty much described what I had in mind, the bees just didn't cooperate.
Someone else suggested drilling a top entrance in the new body and plugging up the bottom entrance, forcing the bees to at least go through the new body.
I thought I might try that.