Installing package in new frames, how to feed leftover pollen/honey

[opster246]

I lost my hive this winter. I want to convert this hive to 4.9mm cell foundation, so I placed the new, combless frames in the bottom deep. I places the queen cage in the bottom deep and a queen excluder above her. Then I placed a second deep filled with the left over pollen and honey from the dead hive on top to feed the new colony. After 4 days, they are just starting to draw comb on the new frames, but nearly all of the bees are in the top deep. Is this a bad idea?  I wanted them to make use of the pollen and honey before I would need to feed them syrup (if I had to at all).  I don't think the left over frames are 4.9 mm and I had varroa mites in this hive, so I am doing all I can to prevent a new issue with them this year. Will the queen swarm because she is nearly alone in the bottom?  Will they be slow to build out the new frames is the bottom because there is plenty of comb above?  Any suggestions on this idea, or should I just scrap the idea all together and just pull the top deep and feed syrup while the fill out the new frames?  thanks!

[Acebird]

You really got to get used to the idea of what they want and not so much of what you want.  The pollen that is in a dead out is OLD pollen.  They will use it if there is nothing else.  So if there is new pollen they will dig it out and dump it.  Why? because it isn't as good as the new pollen.  Now honey is a different story.  There is not much difference between new honey and 5 year old honey.  Maybe the only detriment to old honey is crystallization.

[Eric Bosworth]

You really got to get used to the idea of what they want and not so much of what you want.  The pollen that is in a dead out is OLD pollen.  They will use it if there is nothing else.  So if there is new pollen they will dig it out and dump it.  Why? because it isn't as good as the new pollen.  Now honey is a different story.  There is not much difference between new honey and 5 year old honey.  Maybe the only detriment to old honey is crystallization.

I am not even sure that crystallization is much of a detriment. I think I would just put the super with frames on it's side next to the new hive and let the bees rob out the honey. Then either freeze the comb, give it back to the bees or melt down the wax to keep the wax moths at bay.

[Hops Brewster]

What you have done is separated your queen from the bulk of the colony, and from the cells that are already there and available for brood production.  Apparently, she has some attendants and a few workers down there with her, but you have lost several days of egg laying.  She can't lay eggs on foundation!   I also have some concern whether those few bees with her would be able to keep her warm enough in event of a cold snap.

Let that new package of bees establish themselves as a viable colony before you worry about fancy tricks like changing cell size, and remove the QE.

[sc-bee]

Move the feed down to your bees- honey comb size does not matter you will cull it... it is brood comb or start totally from scratch......
And read this if you have not done so already.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm