poor queen

[bmacior]

 I'm a first year beekeeper.  My 1 hive of bees have not done well. :(  Part of that is due to the weather this year.  According to the bee association, just about everybody in the county had a bad year.  That said, at our association barbeque last Sunday, the guy I bought my package from (he got them out of California-I don't know where) told me that about 10 others had the same problem as I, and the supplier is willing to sell replacement package in the spring for half price. My questions are:

1. I have 7 frames drawn out in the first deep and 5 drawn out in the second.  The bees just didn't draw comb.  Is that due to the genetics imparted by the queen?  The queen can't lay if she doesn't a have a place to lay.
2. The guy I bought them from feels there are not  enough bees to survive our winter.  If the supplier has agreed to replace the bees due to a poor queen, shouldn't he replace them for free, not half price?
3. Do I really want to buy bees from him again, even for half price?  I have no idea who he is or what his history is on queen breeding.
4. Bees don't move horizontally in the winter to feed, they move up.  They consume most of the honey in the latter part of winter.  What is the best frame placement for my 12 frames to help them hopefully survive?  Will they break cluster to take dry sugar placed on the top bar?

Barb

[Brian D. Bray]

I'm a first year beekeeper.  My 1 hive of bees have not done well. :(  Part of that is due to the weather this year.  According to the bee association, just about everybody in the county had a bad year.  That said, at our association barbeque last Sunday, the guy I bought my package from (he got them out of California-I don't know where) told me that about 10 others had the same problem as I, and the supplier is willing to sell replacement package in the spring for half price. My questions are:

As always how well your bees did relys on how good your weather was, how good the bees were depends on the weather conditions for the supplier.  Sounds as if you both had a bad year, weather wise.

1. I have 7 frames drawn out in the first deep and 5 drawn out in the second.  The bees just didn't draw comb.  Is that due to the genetics imparted by the queen?  The queen can't lay if she doesn't a have a place to lay.

Weather more than genetics.  I'd feed 1.5:1 syrup and see if they won't draw out the remaining frames.  To aid the bees and force comb drawing place the outer most undrawn frames just inside the outmost drawn frames.  In a 10 frame hive with 7 frames it should be: UDUDDDDUDU, once the undrawn frames are drawn out then move the 2nd set of undrawn frames in the same manner.  Bees hate a void and will try to fill by drawing comb.  The outer draw frame on each side of the hive is always a storage frame so doing as indicated will not disturb the brood chamber.  With the 5 frame super follow the same concept.

2. The guy I bought them from feels there are not  enough bees to survive our winter.  If the supplier has agreed to replace the bees due to a poor queen, shouldn't he replace them for free, not half price?

This time of year that's not a bad offer.  He must have recieved a lot off similar complaints to even make such and offer.  YOu did get bees, they did draw out combs.  They just didn't live up to expectations do to weather conditions on both ends of the delivery.

3. Do I really want to buy bees from him again, even for half price?  I have no idea who he is or what his history is on queen breeding.

That's up to you, I would take him up on his offer of 1/2 price this once (good comparison).  Remember the adage: know your source.  If you find the source unrealiable or inferior then find another one.

4. Bees don't move horizontally in the winter to feed, they move up.  They consume most of the honey in the latter part of winter.  What is the best frame placement for my 12 frames to help them hopefully survive?  Will they break cluster to take dry sugar placed on the top bar?

Barb

Yes, you are correct in the way you desribe how the bees feed from cluster.  If you can't get them to draw more comb per my earlier suggestion, I would change the configuration of the hive into a 2 story or 6 frame nuc.  If you don't have nuc boxes just make follower boards to slip down between the frames.  Put 6 frames in each box, install follower board, then fill the remaining empty space with some type of insulation (wadded up paper?).  The 2 story configuration will maximize the utility of overwinter cluster and keep all the frames within reach for stores. 
I've overwintered splits in 2 story medium nucs and a 2 story deep nuc provides more stores.  In the spring the cluster will be small but it should have survived.  Begin Feeding early as possible next spring.

After the half price package you'll have twice the bees and more options next year.

[bmacior]

Thanks for all the advice.  Will so as you say. :)