I had a small swarm on June 2nd. Caught it, boxed it. Slow to get going, but then was laying like a dream. Yesterday they absconded. I caught it and put it in a nuc [didn't realize until later which colony it was.]
When I checked their old box, there were 3 frames full of BIAS - just abandoned. Also some cells with multiple eggs at the bottom. No honey. We're just at the end of the flow.
What would make a colony abandon that much brood?
Are they worth keeping?
Same as you would. If you are hungry, you will go looking for food. That's what they did.
I understand, but we're not in a dearth. We're just at the end of the summer flow. Everyone else is still bringing in honey.
Are they worth keeping?
Less than 3 lb. of bees, NO. More than 3 lbs, YES. Feed heavily
Quote from: Rurification on July 30, 2017, 04:52:34 PM
Are they worth keeping?
My cut off would be if they could get to 3 five frame medium nuc boxes full by winter. I overwintered two hives like that last winter. Anything less than that, I haven't had any luck getting them through the winter. And yes I would feed them.
Thanks for the feedback, guys!
I took out their old frames and put them back in their box with a frame of new brood and a frame of empty drawn comb and started feeding them 2 quarts of syrup from a medium above.
I've had good luck overwintering single boxes with sugar bricks and a quilt box on top. This queen is a good layer. It is still July [barely] so they've got some time and we have a decent fall flow. We'll see if she can fill a box.
Go for it, you have little to lose.
I'm a little south of you in the Ohio River Valley, no sign of dearth, but it will be here for sure.
Feed a lot.