Should I add a pkg of bees to a weak hive?

[catminy]

  This is the beginning of my 2nd year with bees, and I think both hives are weak.  One has about 2-3 med frames of bees and the other has about 3-4 lg frames.  There is very little food stores in both hives.  I have searched the posts for the best way to feed them and that seems to be tricky no matter the method so I put sugar on the top bars and 2:1 syrup in the feeders.  If they survive our up and down weather, should add pkg bees w/o queen and if so, how?  Thanks so much for this forum!!

[David LaFerney]

  This is the beginning of my 2nd year with bees, and I think both hives are weak.  One has about 2-3 med frames of bees and the other has about 3-4 lg frames.  There is very little food stores in both hives.  I have searched the posts for the best way to feed them and that seems to be tricky no matter the method so I put sugar on the top bars and 2:1 syrup in the feeders.  If they survive our up and down weather, should add pkg bees w/o queen and if so, how?  Thanks so much for this forum!!

How did you start with them last year - swarms, packages, etc?  What were they like last summer and fall?   Did they have stores going into winter? 

[D Coates]

Add a package now or in the Spring?  Now that I think about it I'd say no either way.  If your hives survive the winter you'll be amazed how their population explodes with the spring.  If they don't survive then you get the packages and drop them in on the dead out.  If you're really concerned you can add some granular sugar on them (look up Mountaincamp feeding) for an easy food reserve.  Or try to combine the hives to get the population to critical mass if you really feel desperate.  Considering it's your first year I'd simply put the sugar on top of them if you're concerned about food reserves and learn what to expect with overwintering bees.

I've got a 5-frame nuc that's down to 1 1/2 frames of bees, whereas the others I've got are 3 frames of bees.  They all have sugar on them.  I could easily combine them as they are in a queen castle with another 5 frame nuc but I'm going to see if they survive the winter being that small.  You're always learning with beekeeping.

[Scadsobees]

I agree with D Coates. 

The other equation is why are they weak.  If there is a reason, adding a package to them might just be wasting a package.  Plus there could be issues adding that many bees.

If you don't mind spending the money and have a bit extra equipement, and want to make EXTRA sure that somebody's going to be making honey, you could always order two extra packages, install them seperately, and then recombine them later if those 2 hives don't survive.

I'm too not familiar with your climate, but 3-4 frames doesn't sound too bad for this time of year, assuming you are a few months ahead of us.

[catminy]

  Last fall, both hives were doing great.  I think I checked them around late August.  Then my 89 yr old Mom got sick and I took care of her and all but forgot about my bees.  Our weather is very unpredictable here in the heart of Alabama.  In Dec. we had some really cold temps for about 3 weeks (below freezing during the day is unusual) and then out of nowhere its in the 40s at night and then below freezing again.   I went to check on them during the warm up and everything looked good.  They were coming and going in  both hives.  Yesterday,  I was shocked to find about 100 or more  dead bees on the sbb.  I'm not certain but I think they got too cold or maybe with all the activity they starved.  Either way I feel really bad because I was unable to do a better job checking them last fall.  So,  I don't think the weakness is due to illness.  I could combine them but I think I still have 2 queens. I don't have the heart to kill one.  Thanks again for your help!

[RayMarler]

I had 10 hives in fall.
I have 8 now.
Of the 8, they vary in strength, some are 2 frames of bees, some are 5 or 6 frames.
Mine did not have full enough stores in fall and had lots of mites.
All things considered, I think they are doing fine.
It's still very early, not even spring yet.
I'm leaving mine alone and giving them time to build some on their own.
I did not do anything but lift lids yesterday, and that's first I've checked on them since first November.

[alflyguy]

Catminy,
I'm just across the river in Talladega. I lost 2 of 5 hives because they ran out of stores. After the storm they expect this weekend our weather should be improving. I'm feeding mine and waiting for spring.

[catminy]

 Nice to meet you Alflyguy there in Dega!  I have hopes that my hives will survive.  I watched them flying yesterday.  They were really bringing in the pollen!  I put 4lds of dry sugar on the top bars.  I took the syrup away because I think they were being robbed.  Do you know what is blooming in this area?

[alflyguy]

Catminy,
I think our first important bee bloom is the red bud. If the weather is good it could happen as early as the first week of March.