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Author Topic: Switching hives?  (Read 1719 times)

Offline RangerBrad

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Switching hives?
« on: April 02, 2012, 06:08:08 pm »
At my house I have 1 strong hive and one weak hive. The queen in the weak hive is starting to lay good patterns however, there aren't enough bees in that hive (maybe 2-3 frames) to cover the brood. I've read that you can switch hive positions and strengthen a weak hive and take some pressure off an overly strong hive. My question is won't it cause a big fight when the bees come home and there are diffrent bees in a weakened state? Won't the returning bees simply kill the queen and bees in this weakened hive? Hope I'm explaining this right. Thanks' Brad
If the only dog you can here in the hunt is yours, your probaly missing the best part of the chase.

Offline iddee

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Re: Switching hives?
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2012, 06:30:37 pm »
No, the foragers will take up with the hive that is in their original home's location.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline AllenF

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Re: Switching hives?
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2012, 08:27:40 pm »
Switching hives is an easy way to build up weak hives. 

Offline RangerBrad

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Re: Switching hives?
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2012, 09:07:19 pm »
Do the bee's that live in the hive not defend it aginst the returning bee's thinking that they are being robbed? Thanks', Brad
If the only dog you can here in the hunt is yours, your probaly missing the best part of the chase.

Offline AllenF

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Re: Switching hives?
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2012, 09:15:00 pm »
Bees returning with food will not get attacked.

Offline RangerBrad

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Re: Switching hives?
« Reply #5 on: April 02, 2012, 09:35:25 pm »
What time of day is best to do this? Midday? Thank's, Brad
If the only dog you can here in the hunt is yours, your probaly missing the best part of the chase.

Offline sterling

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Re: Switching hives?
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2012, 12:23:04 pm »
You could also take a frame of brood with the bees on it from the strong hive and put it in the weaker hive for a boost. A frame of bees is easier to move then two full hives.

Offline iddee

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Re: Switching hives?
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2012, 12:48:04 pm »
Moving 2 full hives is many times easier than finding a queen. If you don't find her, Murphy's law guarantees that you will move her to the weak hive and she will be killed.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline Jim134

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Re: Switching hives?
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2012, 07:15:58 am »
Moving 2 full hives is many times easier than finding a queen. If you don't find her, Murphy's law guarantees that you will move her to the weak hive and she will be killed.


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