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Author Topic: Only bees  (Read 1648 times)

Offline robthir

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Only bees
« on: September 09, 2012, 09:12:34 pm »
I'm a newb and learning tons this year.  I lost one of my new nucs, I think they may've moved due to SHB because I am overrun with them.  I think I may have them under control now by taking a double-barrelled approach of in-hive traps, and I did a big sugar shake with an oil trap under the SBB that I learned from a youtube video.  My problem now is that I have one really strong hive, one really strong nuc that is actually starting to make some honey and one really weak hive that apparently only has bees in it.  There is no brood, no honey, a bit of pollen and nothing else except quite a few leftover SHB.  I want to save the bees. I feel like the comb is too far gone with SHB larvae, but there are so many bees.  Would the best idea be to do a newspaper combine with the strong nuc? Or, shake the bees into a new box and requeen?  It is fall now and my main goal is to get them through the winter.  I feel like its a little late to re-queen, but I don't know much about that.  I'm sure I can come across a queen if I really need to.  Thanks in advance for your help.

R

Offline iddee

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Re: Only bees
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2012, 10:32:30 pm »
I would shake the bees out 6 to 10 feet in front of the strong hive, then freeze the SHb frames and put them away until spring.
"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"

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Offline duck

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Re: Only bees
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2012, 09:26:44 am »
brush the bees off the frames so you dont spill shb larvae everwhere.

Offline AllenF

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Re: Only bees
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2012, 05:52:20 pm »
But do freeze those boogers.    Bees can clean up the frames in the spring if they are not too bad. 

Offline timdalyiii

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Re: Only bees
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2012, 01:44:23 pm »
Will the bees from the weak hive (that are now on the ground) join one of the other colonies?