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Author Topic: Helping a friend  (Read 1610 times)

Offline Tucker1

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Helping a friend
« on: March 06, 2009, 07:57:01 pm »
I've got a buddy that lost his hive this winter. My hive seems to have survived the winter well, although I haven't inspected the hive. Buying a new package of bees in out of the question for my buddy (Things are a bit tough.), but he can afford to buy a queen. So, having said all that......

I was going to inspect my hive in detail in a few weeks. Assuming that the hive is fairly strong, I'd thought I'd help him out. The thought is to find the frame with my queen and make sure she stays put in my existing hive.  I would take a two or three frames with bees and brood from my hive and move them into his empty hive. Prior to this move, he would have placed his new queen in her cage in his empty hive.

We'd completely close off his hive so that the bees could not return to my hive. Provide them food. Hopefully, in a week the girls would be all acquainted with each other and we could remove the covers sealing off his hive. He'd have a hive and ready for another season.

This seems like the proper methodology, if I'm reading my bee keeping books right.  Is there anything else I need to do to prevent a failure?

Regards,
Tucker
He who would gather honey must bear the sting of the bees.

Offline BjornBee

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Re: Helping a friend
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2009, 08:05:01 pm »
Hello tucker1,
How close does he have his hive to yours?
www.bjornapiaries.com
www.pennapic.org
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Northern States Queen Breeders Assoc.  www.nsqba.com

Offline RayMarler

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Re: Helping a friend
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2009, 09:36:03 pm »
Put your frames of Sealed Brood  and a frame of nectar/honey into his hive the Day Before he gets his queen. Don't put the queen in an empty hive. Close off the entrance with grass or with screen or 1/8" harware cloth, only if the weather is such that the bees won't over heat.

The next day when queen arrives, put her in his hive, after poking a nail thru the candy. She will be readily accepted as his hive is hopelessly queenless after being made up a day in advances with only sealed brood. open up the hive entrance when you put the queen in, but keep it reduced to an inch or two of opening. It would not hurt to put a feeder of sugar water on the hive, but won't be a "have to do" item. It would just help them out some from being a small just made up hive.

Check it in 3 to 5 days to make sure queen has been released. If she has been released, check for eggs. If no eggs found, check it again in a week. After three weeks, check again to see how they are doing and expand open the entrance if needed.

Best of Luck and thanks for helping out a fellow beek!

Offline Tucker1

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Re: Helping a friend
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2009, 11:39:27 pm »
Ray: Thanks for the advice and guidance. You provided several pieces of information that will make this little project more successful. The idea of sealed brood and honey/nectar makes a lot of sense. Thanks again.

Bjornbee: His hive is about 35 feet away from mine. His entrance faces south while mine faces to the east. My hive has a small pine tree just behind it that protests it from the strong west winds we receive in eastern Washington. There are 3 of us from work that have hives within 100 yards of each other and about 1/8 mile from work. All of the hives are located on the slope of a hill that faces to the west.

Regards,
Tucker
He who would gather honey must bear the sting of the bees.