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Author Topic: weak hive  (Read 3302 times)

Offline DENNIS

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weak hive
« on: May 14, 2006, 04:12:44 pm »
I have two bee hives that were 3lb packages. one hives is going crazy in growing the other is slow. Today i checked both hives one has three frames of bees I seen eggs and larve at different stages.
the second hive has two deeps and is almost 3/4 full. I put a medium on top of that hive.  I was wondering could i change the brood frames to the weaker hive and how
they are both feed patties and top surp feeders. Also it seam that the weak one is not eatting from the top feeder.
Could use some suggestion on what to do  Thanks
 

 :?

Offline Michael Bush

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weak hive
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2006, 12:12:53 am »
It's always hard to judge why a hive decides to take off and another decides to hold back.  Some of it is how much risk they take and if that risk paid off.  Rearing a lot of brood uses a lot of resources. Two or three days of rain can cause a large loss of brood if a hive takes the risk to raise too much.  But then if the rain doesn't happen, the risk may pay off.

If you want to give some frames of brood to the weak hive, find some emerging brood and put it in the middle of the brood nest of the weak one.
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Offline DENNIS

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weak hive
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2006, 12:19:38 am »
Thanks for your reply
When I pull the brood they have alot of bees on them do i put the frame in the weak hive with all the bees on it

Offline Brian D. Bray

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weak hive
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2006, 02:25:25 am »
No.  You've just learned one reason why there is such a thing as a bee brush.  Gently brush the brood frame free of bees before installing it in the other hive.  
1. As to the syrup feeder check to see if there is free access--sometimes the bees will seal the doorway with propolis and then can't get back into the feeder to get the goodies.
2. Try using jars with lids poked in the holes (small holes) and placed over the frames.  This will require an extra hive body so be sure to fill any space not taken up with jars with frames or you might end up with one hell of a mess.
3. Use a hive shim to feed bee candy--I have a 3/4 inch frame the same dimensions as the hive body just for this purpose.  When feeding candy a clean water source is extremely important.  Here use a dish or pie tin--keep the water level shallow.  Bees knees are a lot closer to the ground than ours.
I don't worry about the water but then not many people have a creek running through their property.
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Offline Michael Bush

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weak hive
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2006, 08:32:38 am »
>When I pull the brood they have alot of bees on them do i put the frame in the weak hive with all the bees on it

If you take a frame from one hive and another from another hive and another from another hive, you can sometimes get by with leaving the bees on it.  Also if the hive is weak enough you can sometimes get by with it.  But if the hive is reasonably strong they will fight some.  A lot of smoke will sometimes head this off.  The safest thing to do is shake the bees on the landing board of the weak hive and put the frames in the weak hive.  That way the field bees will fly home (the ones most likely to fight) and the nurse bees will likely just walk into the weak hive.
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Offline Brian Sisson

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weak hive
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2006, 11:25:23 am »
I'm in the same situation as Dennis.  I got 2 packages of bees (1 Russian and 1 Italian) on April 3rd.
I've been feeding them steady since they were hived, and the Russian's have drawn out almost all the frames in the hive, and this week I plan to add another hive.  
The Italians have drawn out about 6 frames.  
Both hives have brood, and both are collecting pollen and storing it.
The Russian's are fine, but when I inspected the Italians Saturday I saw a couple mites running across the comb, and I saw 3 or 4 bees on the ground in front of the hive that had jacked-up wings.  
My newbie questions are:
Should I try to medicate the Italians for the mites?

Should I keep feeding both hives?  They seem to be filling 1/2 the comb with brood, and 1/2 with sugar water.

Will the sugar water they store be useful to them through the winter, or is honey better for them?

Will a hive become honey bound if they have plenty of supers and hive bodies?  

Thanks,
Brian

Offline Finsky

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weak hive
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2006, 04:05:54 pm »
If bees get nectar and pollen from nature, there is no need to fill cells with syrup. If you have 4 frames, it is enough  if one frame full food for bad week.

If you have one box bees it is enough if hive has 2 frames food. More food take room from brood.

If you see 2 mites, you need not make anything. In autumn give them cure what ever it is.

Reed about cathing mites with drone brood.
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