new hive with small amount of comb question

[bailey]

hello all.
i have 3 hives with the third having just been hived today.
i didnt get alot of usable comb but the hive has got good numbers of bees and a moderate amount of brood and larve were present at the time of transfer but
i had to toss most of it because it came out in pieces.

one of the others i hived in november last year with alot of good usable comb
in those frames. the hive is building up quickly and has a good brood pattern in it now. it,s core covers 5 or 6 frames of bees

the third i got mid summer and is filling a deep pretty well with lots of brood and stores.

i want to give the newest hive a frame or two of comb to work with.

would it be better to rob the strongest hive of a frame of brood, or take an unused frame of empty comb from the november hive and let the new hive build from there?

they really dont have enough comb to work with without giving them at least a frame of drawn comb from one of the other hives.
any and all replies would be welcome.

thanks
bailey.

[JP]

> i want to give the newest hive a frame or two of comb to work with.

> would it be better to rob the strongest hive of a frame of brood, or take an unused frame of empty comb from the november hive and let the new hive build from there?

> they really dont have enough comb to work with without giving them at least a frame of drawn comb from one of the other hives.
any and all replies would be welcome.

thanks
bailey.


Hey Bailey, you could do one or the other, or both, but make sure if you introduce a brood frame from one of your other hives it doesn't have the queen on that frame. I know this is a no brainer but its just a reminder, no offense.

Also, let's just say for argument sake that when doing the transfer on the planter hive you accidentally killed the queen, that brood frame from that other hive really comes in handy now, wouldn't you say?

Sincerely, JP

[bailey]

could they make a queen and she get mated this early in the year?
do we have drones now?
if so it is a no brainer. a frame of brood and eggs it is.
extra bees if the queen is there, and a better chance of a good queen if i killed the old one.

sure hope i didnt kill her though. that hive looked pretty strong, she was doing her job well.

thanks.

[JP]

> could they make a queen and she get mated this early in the year?
do we have drones now? ---Sorry, you got me there, for a second there my brain was in mid summer with Mick from Australia, he had been having some issues with a queenless nuc and we were discussing what to do and in his region it was the clear choice. Forgive me Bailey as my brain was in freeze mode. I have only been seeing a few drones here and there so I think it would be unlikely a virgin would get mated this time of yr, as you alluded to. It wouldn't hurt though to still give them a frame or two of brood and honey, and or drawn out comb to keep them content. I know you are feeding them as well and with their good numbers they should build quickly. Its been a long day, we'll talk soon.


.......JP

[Brian D. Bray]

could they make a queen and she get mated this early in the year?

In your area of LA probably.

do we have drones now?

See above.  If not, and they make a queen they'll make drones too though the drones will hatch too late to service any queen produced.  Select a frame of brood with drone cells on it if possible.

if so it is a no brainer. a frame of brood and eggs it is.

They won't abandon their brood so a frame of brood/eggs is a good bet for finding out if they have a queen and to keep them from absconding.  Doesn't work that way with AHB but you don't have to worry about that downunder.

extra bees if the queen is there, and a better chance of a good queen if i killed the old one. sure hope i didnt kill her though. that hive looked pretty strong, she was doing her job well.

thanks.

Yeap, a quick shot in the arm, gives the hive a better chance of survival.  Most of us that has been a beekeeper for any length of time has lost a queen due to their own thoughtlessness or clumsiness.

[Jerrymac]

In your area of LA probably.


They won't abandon their brood so a frame of brood/eggs is a good bet for finding out if they have a queen and to keep them from absconding.  Doesn't work that way with AHB but you don't have to worry about that downunder.

Louisiana is not down under. It might seem that way from up yonder but they are only next door.

[NWIN Beekeeper]

[Doesn't work that way with AHB but you don't have to worry about that downunder.]

While it may not geographically apply here, I have to say that the man still had his facts correct!
I give him a "B-" for a effort and goodwill (but I still don't think I'll let him drive me anywhere  :roll:)

[JP]

Our swarming season usually starts in April, weather permitting.

Jerry, and Jeff,  I believe Brian may have been referring to the mention I made about Mick's hive in Australia.

.....JP

[Jerrymac]

Yes he did. But he wrote it in such a way that it sounds like he is saying LA is down under. I just had to jump on it.

[JP]

Yes he did. But he wrote it in such a way that it sounds like he is saying LA is down under. I just had to jump on it.

I know Jerry, you wouldn't be you if you didn't catch those sorts of things.  ;)

.....JP

[bailey]

as an update i gave the hive both an empty frame of comb and a frame of brood that contained both capped brood and larve as well as eggs.
they seem to have settled in well after that.

sure has been busy here building new hives and frames most of the last 2 days.
am glad the day is done.
still have 6 or 7 medium supers to put togther then the frames for 10 medium supers to assemble and get ready soon.

thanks for the answers to my questions.

bailey