Starting anew

[Mistura Fina]

My bees swarmed toward the end of the season last year. I want to start anew. Can I use my old hive with the previous bees propolis in it. There's not a lot, but I can't seem to get rid of it. Another thing. I got thirty pounds of honey before the swarm, and I want more. Can I start two hives side by side or does one hive have to already be established?

[John Schwartz]

Hi there :)

Yes, you certainly can use the old hive. Were you able to check for disease after losing the bees? You can start as many hives as you want next to each other.

[Two Bees]

You can use your old equipment if there are no signs of any disease.  Propolis shouldn't be a problem.  It might even attract a swarm!

It's advantageous to have a minimum of two hives so you can compare one with the other.  Starting two packages or nucs side by side should be no problem.

Good luck!