starting two new hives

Delmer · February 10, 2009, 08:43:49 PM

Tried to see if this has been asked before with the search function, but had no luck. Sorry if it has been covered before.

Starting this spring and it was suggested that I start with two hives instead of one. This way I could compare the two as the summer progressed and it would possibly help my chances of having bees make it through the winter. I'm planning on starting with packaged bees and beeswax foundation in both hives. I'm told I can start them out about 30 feet apart and gradually move one hive closer to the other (3ft at a time)- or put one hive 2-3 miles away, leave it for several weeks and then bring it over one night, close the other hive. Any suggestions as to which method works better.

Thanks
Danny

Kathyp · February 10, 2009, 08:48:00 PM

put them right next to each other and save the work :-D

DaveKow · February 10, 2009, 08:53:24 PM

What she said.

JP · February 10, 2009, 09:05:31 PM

What they said

Some of my friend Bailey's hives

...JP

rast · February 10, 2009, 09:17:01 PM

As DaveKow said "what she said", and as JP showed you they can be close. I do like to leave some working space between the hives. Depends on your hive stands. JP uses beams stuck inside blocks and they set on those(if I remember right). Mine set on a couple of blocks and spaced about like DaveKow's avatar.

Brian D. Bray · February 10, 2009, 10:11:23 PM

Quote from: rast on February 10, 2009, 09:17:01 PM
As DaveKow said "what she said", and as JP showed you they can be close. I do like to leave some working space between the hives. Depends on your hive stands. JP uses beams stuck inside blocks and they set on those(if I remember right). Mine set on a couple of blocks and spaced about like DaveKow's avatar.

I'm with rast, I like to be able to walk all the way around each and every hive in the bee yard. That's 2 feet apart or from obsticles in every direction.

Delmer · February 10, 2009, 11:18:33 PM

OK thanks- so you don't have to worry about the bees all moving into one hive or the other? The logic was that the packaged bees could possibly come from different colonies and they would not know the queen (or her pheromones) so they would be prone to making one hive a strong hive and one very weak.

Thanks for the help

JP · February 10, 2009, 11:27:36 PM

You may have a little drifting but I would't worry about it. They will have recognized the packaged queen that is with them.

...JP

Delmer · February 10, 2009, 11:37:44 PM

Thanks.

Another dumb ? alot of the pics of hives folks have bricks or rocks on the lid is this for predators or wind?

JP · February 10, 2009, 11:40:11 PM

Quote from: Delmer on February 10, 2009, 11:37:44 PM
Thanks.

Another dumb ? alot of the pics of hives folks have bricks or rocks on the lid is this for predators or wind?

Wind.

...JP

Brian D. Bray · February 10, 2009, 11:51:16 PM

Quote from: Delmer on February 10, 2009, 11:37:44 PM
Thanks.

Another dumb ? alot of the pics of hives folks have bricks or rocks on the lid is this for predators or wind?

Wind can pick the lid off a hive and blow it away. A few bricks helps keep the lid on until the bees glue it down with propolis. Then the beekeeper comes along, again, and rips the lid off to do an inspection and the bricks help keep the lid on until the bees glue it down with propolis. So on, and so on, and so forth......

Delmer · February 11, 2009, 12:13:33 AM

Thanks

EasternShore · February 12, 2009, 09:04:20 AM

Highly suggest at least 2 hives...odds are in the first winter, unless your real real lucky you will lose one. Also I'ts nice to have extra comb and brood if one is weak. Drifting can help if used properly...weak hive moved to where strong one is during day will bolster it.

I have been very lucky and so far no losses..thought me tree hive was dead...but...low and behold they were flying yesterday...I'm very blessed!