How do i replace a old hive body

[tom]

Hello

 I have my big hive and i see holes all in it and i have a good one that has been used but i cleaned it out very well and i want to put the bees in this one what is the best way to go about this and will it harm the bees.

Tom

[buzzbee]

I have seen recommendations of torching the inside and especially inner corners of used equipment to kill any afb spores that may be present unless you are sure of the health of the bees that previously resided there. Otherwise you can pull all the frames from the old and insert into the new. Just be sure that if the queen is in the old box that she gets transferred as well.

[Brian D. Bray]

On using used equipment it is best to assume that it may contain disease spores of some type.  Use a torch and burn the insides until the grain begins to stand out slightly.  Disassemble 1st as AFB spores can survive a scorching if this is not done--I learned this the hard way.
Once the hive is santitized and possibly repainted then transfer the bees into the hive body frame by frame.

I don't understand your comment about the hive has holes in it, please explain.

[tom]

Howdy

   Mr. Bray in my last post i stated that my old hives has holes in it which means that the hive is falling apart and that i want to transfer my bees in the new hive this hive has been used but the bees died due to poor keeping as with alot of hives around here it seems that they get bees and then they fail to care for them and let them die out. The bees never had any kind of AFB or any other just where wax moths ate up the foundation.


Tom

[Brian D. Bray]

In in case as described just transfer the hive into the other boxes a frame at a time and then shake any remaining bees.  If you place the new boxes in the same location or next to the hive whose boxes are being replaced you should have no trouble with the bees returning to the hive.

[tom]

Hello Mr. Bray

  I am going to do so today or tomarrow and i am also going to see if they have replaced the queen from the spring since this hive has drones. I also have another hive that i requeened and they still have two frames that they have not drawn out how should i get them to draw it out and i have given them some syrup last nite so that the other hive would not bother them and it worked out nicely.


Tom

[kensfarm]

Tom.. do you use the Honey-Bee Healthy in your sugar water?

[tom]

Hello

  No i have never tried it before i always add alittle vineger to mine and they seem to love it i have never seen bees take out a pan of syrup within a two minute range before and i do not have any robbing or fighting only when a wasp or hornet try to get some they gang up on them and fight.

Tom

[TwT]

Hello

 I have my big hive and i see holes all in it and i have a good one that has been used but i cleaned it out very well and i want to put the bees in this one what is the best way to go about this and will it harm the bees.

Tom

has this hive body been used by you or some one else???? need to know this first because seems a few thinks it was used by someone else,,,,, if it was use by you just put the frames of the old hive in the other hive body and shake any bee's that are left in the new one..... easy and not hard at all but if it came from someone else I wouldn't use it unless you knew the person and knew his hives had no diseases...... just my 2 cents ;)

[Brian D. Bray]

Tom
>>they still have two frames that they have not drawn out how should i get them to draw it out

If you move the undrawn frames so that they are on the inside of the last drawn frame they should fill the gap.  Make sure there is no brood on this frame.  But please note that if you don't have enough bees to cover the frames they still may fail to draw the comb.

I don't feed very often.  See my column at www.beekeepersvoice.com on when not to feed bees as it also tells you when and under what conditions feeding is appropriate.  If you are experiencing an extended dearth feeding is ok to keep the hive alive.