preparing dead out for new bees

[rgy]

Lost all four of my hives this winter, I know two must have went in week because they were gone in Dec.  but the other two looked good and some were flying a couple weeks ago.  the bottom board had about a lorge coffee can worth of dead bees in it when I took them apart yestereday.

I have 40 frames that are 80-100% full of capped honey and i have prob 20 of uncapped/capped and 20 that are partial empty  from the brood nest.  of these 8 or so are from nucs that I used and those frames I would like to get rid of for different reasons/ old, partialy broke don't match/

How would you set up the four hives using these approx. 70 frames and remaining new frames?

thamks

[Vance G]

I would put frames with honey on the outside of both sides of all.  If any of those frames are full of pollen put them on the inside.  Put about three mostly empty drawn comb in the middle.  If you run out of drawn comb, put foundation between two frames of well drawn comb.  Just even it out your resources between the four colonies you are starting.   With this many resources, you bees should not even need fed initially.  Unless there is no flow at the time of year when you are getting your packages, they may never require feeding. 

[rgy]

thanks,   would you start the new 3lb packages in two deeps or would you start them in single deeps.  i was thinking honey on the outside walls partial filled then empty drawn in the middle and starting with two deeps so new queen would have 6 or so drawn and empty.  i may have to spin some of the partials out to have drawn.  think I am going to set a trap with the nuc frames

[carlfaba10t]

Do you have any idea why your bees died?

[rgy]

no clue.  I am pretty sure the last two hives were alive just over amonth ago.   the first two died early dec. late nov.  and I think they went queenless or else swarmed late and could not replace the queen.  there was no brood or eggs and all frames were full of nectar or honey.  Maybe i killed the queen when we harvested the honey.?

[Dimmsdale]

I'm in the exact same boat rgy.  Just had one hive this season and thought they made it.  They have been out collecting pollen, but I noticed their numbers were real low.  Opened em up tonight and there was a good coffee can of dead bees on the bottom and a couple houndred bees covering some scattered brood, which I take for a laying worker.  Brood size was only about 4 inches in diameter.  The dead looked like they had been there for a while.  Had some beetles and some larva mixed in with the bodies.  They wintered on 2 deeps and had a good 5 full frames of honey left.  I did notice there there was very little, if any pollen other than some fresh that had recently been brought in.  The bottom box was pretty much completely empty, just drawn comb.  Notice some dead Varroa, but not a huge amount of them.  I'm wondering if I might have killed the queen and they dwindled or if the lack of pollen might be a big factor?  Sure is a heart breaker to lose your bees.  :(