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Author Topic: extra honey  (Read 2109 times)

Offline filmmlif

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extra honey
« on: February 14, 2006, 06:26:34 pm »
ok, 2 years into beekeeping...
i brought pollen substitute to my 5 hives today...2 hives were very strong but the other 3 were very weak....only a few hundred bees in each. i located the queen in all the hives and they all looked fine. i was going to combine the three weak ones but i thought i would add the patties and see if nature surprises me. good idea?
here's my question; one of the weak hives had 6 frames full of honey in it's upper deep...all the other hives were still pretty full of honey so i couldn't put the honey filled frames into another hive...what should i do with this honey? it's been in the hive since last fall...should i save it for a later feeding?
thnx...tom

Offline stilllearning

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extra honey
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2006, 07:22:44 pm »
I have not lived in Dallas since the early 60's but best I can remember
you are still 30 -45 days from anythin blooming the bees will pickup
some pollen from the budding pecans and pines check that they have
room for brood they will start raising brood soon and use up a lot
of stores , so dont take too much out at this time the pollen patties will
not hurt, but I have found they prefer what the can gather over the patties
if you leave the surplus in the upper brood chamber as long as there
is room for the queen to work that just puts them ahead for this springs
surplus is it ever rains.
Wayne Cole

Offline Robo

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extra honey
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2006, 08:49:55 pm »
Couple of points to consider.

1. Why are they so weak? If I read your post correctly, they have plenty of stores, so starvation is not this issue.  Did you check for mites?  Unless you understand what weaken them and rectify it.  They will most likely fail.

2. If your still having cold weather, a couple hundred bees will have a hard time keeping the temperature up to raise brood.  You might consider providing supplimental heat, such a reptile heater as recommended by Finman,  or a light bulb (my cheaper alternative).  I have successfully  saved late season swarms that where down to a handful of bees with 2 - 7watt nite lights placed on the bottom board.  The bees rasied brood in the bottom of the frames right over the light bulbs.
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