I just checked my hive on Sunday. I found one that did not survive. There are 2 others that seems to be able to make it. But one of the hive that is still surviving, has very few bees. There could be about one frame of bees in there. Is there anything I could do to assist the population? I rotated a frame of honey to allow easier access. There is still lots of food about 6-7frames of honey. The hive is insulated but halfway and screen bottom board is now closed. I also shifted pollen patty that was remaining from November over the cluster. What should I be doing to maintain this really small population?
Get rid of the pollen patty. You don't want to take a chance on stimulating a weak hive. They'll try to brood up and not have the bees to cover all the brood and it will usually kill them.
You can stick them in a 5 frame nuc box too, preferably well insulated.
ditto the pollen patty. you don't want to use them in the fall or winter. + if you leave them on, they tend to be a moldy mess by spring. if the food is next to the cluster and you have done all you can to close it up, there's probably not much else you can do. i wouldn't be pulling frames and making a nuc in the weather we have been having unless you had an inside place to do the work and to keep them.
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You may use pollen patty only when snow has melted and bees get water outside. All larvae will be dead if they do not get water. I suppose that they have not done cleansing flight yet.
I believed that it is a harsh winter time in Canada and bees need to be in peace now.
BUT this is Vancouver forecast
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/fourteenday/cabc0308?ref=qlink_st_14day (http://www.theweathernetwork.com/fourteenday/cabc0308?ref=qlink_st_14day)
Quote from: mathew on February 02, 2011, 06:17:48 PM
. What should I be doing to maintain this really small population?
Two possibilites:
1) If the bees occupye only one frame, restrict the box with insulated board to 2 frames.
Them put that over the big hive that it gets heat through the inner cover.
2) Go to pet shop and buy a 6 w terrarium heater and put it into the small hive.
That size hive is not able to use pollen patty. It only becomes sick.
When you bigger hives get emerging brood, add such a frame to the nuc.
Close the mesh floors
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Did temps allow you to "see" if there's any brood? If so, then as said above, I'd try to sqeeze/downsize them into smaller quarters, with lots of stores, remove any/all empty frames and/or boxes.
Do this "ONLY" if/when temps are above 35F. I wouldn't give them any pollen until bleep willows begin blossoming by you.
Just "my" opinion, but I'd stay away from artificial heat of any kind (they don't need it).
thomas
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Of course, the first thing is to look, does it have a queen. So you need to do nothing.
It has been over 35'F for a while now. Vancouver is averaging in the 45'F. We've got hazelnut catkins as the 1st source of protein and it rains alot. So there is water outside. However, I always thought that I should only open up the hive when the temps are above 54'F.
Willows are about to bloom in 1-2weeks here. Snowdrops are in bloom. Only problem is that there are few flying days for them to retrieve pollen from the trees in bloom due to the rain or temperature.
It all depends on how long and what you're planning on doing. If you just want to feed, no sweat at 35. If you want to move frames or boxes around wait for fifties and active foraging, which sounds like you may already be experiencing.
thomas