Author Topic: a question I need help with (Read 4041 times)

bayareaartist · « **on:** June 03, 2005, 05:29:15 pm »

I have this hive I just installed last Saturday.
I had to move it yesterday and I did and set it up, I was amazed at how docile the bees are, then surprised when a bee sank its stinger right through the canvas of the leather gloves.

So I set the hive up and first I am using foundationless top bars, I see now why I should use starter strips. They are trying to build across the bars.

Then I looked at the comb they had built and there was no brood, so I do not think I have a queen.
Now I have the opportunity to get this new smaller swarm from someone who captured it.
The question is, how I can put this new smaller swarm in with the one I just put into the box, the idea is to introduce the smaller swarm and hopefully the queen that came with it.
I am trying to avoid the two box newspaper trick because I do not have any comb drawn in the box yet?

I can put the new swarm in a new hive and order a queen.
I'm just trying to figure out what to do here.

Thank you.

Jerrymac · « **Reply #1 on:** June 03, 2005, 05:43:31 pm »

If you have any wax, you can melt a line of wax where you want them to start building. OR is there a way to attatch popsickle sticks to the frame top bar. Use those as guides. Can rub wax on the popsickle sticks.

mark · « **Reply #2 on:** June 03, 2005, 09:19:30 pm »

installed last saturday? 2 - 3 days for release, couple more to start laying if she was a banked queen or a little too long in the cage from shipping puts you at today to be seeing eggs not brood. look REAL CLOSE . they can be hard to see on new comb. put the other colony in another hive or nuc for right now and give both colonies some time to get settled and work. the last thing you want is to combine both and lose a well bred purchased queen because you have two queens in the same box.

Miss Chick-a-BEE · « **Reply #3 on:** June 03, 2005, 09:47:30 pm »

I agree with Mark. I wouldn't consider combining the hives at this time. Give the package more time to get going. Maybe in another week if you still see no eggs or larvae it can be considered, but it's too soon to give up on it right now.

Beth

Bill the Beekeeper · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2005, 12:20:55 pm »

Agree with Mark. Do not give up on that hive yet.
FIND THE QUEEN if possible. Do a thorough inspection ASAP.

Last year I had a new hive that exhibited the same behavior as yours, and I was sure I had accidently killed the queen, since I could find no eggs. I called in an expert friend of mine, and he found the queen. The hive survived the winter and is producing fine this year.

Michael Bush · « **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2005, 12:56:36 pm »

I hope you have SOMETHING for a comb guide. If not, put something in for a comb guide and cut the crooked comb out and tie it into empty frames.

bayareaartist · « **Reply #6 on:** June 04, 2005, 03:00:52 pm »

I should say a little more,
the bees came from a 4# swarm that was collected, I do not know if a queen came with it.

I have top bars that were cut at 45 degree angles for guides,

tomorow I will go and look at it and if it they are not drawing straight I will tie them in.

thanks for the info.

Michael Bush · « **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2005, 06:29:44 pm »

You still need to cut out the crooked comb and tie it in a frame. Getting rid of the crooked combs and having at least one straight drawn comb will do much to get them on track.

bayareaartist · « **Reply #8 on:** June 05, 2005, 08:45:19 pm »

I went to look at the hive today, and they were making a mess of it again, so I cut all the wax out and cleaned the top bars then tied comb back into the frames with string. I mounted comb on 4 frames, I think that will work as a guide. I hope,

the other problem I cannot figure out is if I have a queen.
they had built quite a bit of comb and when I took it out I looked at it and I could not see any eggs.
But when I put everything back together the bees were laid back and not buzzing around just hanging out at the entrance.

How does a hive act if it is queenless?

thanks for all the help,

Michael Bush · « **Reply #9 on:** June 06, 2005, 12:13:55 pm »

>How does a hive act if it is queenless?

Opposite extremes. Either they will haul pollen like there is no tomorrow, or no pollen at all. Either they will be hot and hard to deal with or they will be too docile and demoralized.

The most often situation when you suspect a hive is queenless is that they have an unmated queen that isn't laying yet. But they COULD be queenless. The best insurance for this is to put in a frame of eggs from another hive.

bayareaartist · « **Reply #10 on:** June 06, 2005, 12:58:01 pm »

I think they are too docile and demoralized.

I will work on the queen problem this week.