My slow hive.

saltybluegrass · July 16, 2019, 07:43:50 PM

https://youtu.be/zSSIJxQCvV0
https://youtu.be/dKPiuRK6o6M
This hive was an April Nuc. It had limited entrance usage and as many bees upstairs as I could count 50-60. I knew it needed consolidated back to one box.
I removed the super of natural comb where only two frames were worked. I saw had nectar and tons of small hive beetles in the upper.
I took two frames of the (natural) of comb and swapped out two frames of nothing downstairs.
I?d love to add brood/ eggs but I can?t find queens in my other 2 hives so I?m scared I may split my queen.
How do I boost this new 1box hive?

BeeMaster2 · July 17, 2019, 12:38:10 AM

Salty,
We need more info. Do you have a good flow on or are you in a dearth? If you are in a dearth, I recommend that you start feeding. Do not use entrance feeders. They just cause robbing.
Jim Altmiller

saltybluegrass · July 17, 2019, 01:22:27 AM

Jim - as little activity/population that super had, I had 2 good frames of nectar. Now wether that means dearth or not I don?t know. We?ve had pretty good rain around here. That yellow hive has good pollen going in and is due to be checked this weekend.(got another about her too)
Other than squeezing one liked you mentioned, I?ll wait til
I ope
The yellow this weekend.
Good idea to put them on feed as my other 2 hives are plenty if the flow is on. My main concern is to save this hive.
I?m calling my apiarist tomorrow to appoint an inspection.

Oldbeavo · July 17, 2019, 07:50:21 AM

Are your stronger hive 2 boxes for brood?
If so shake the bees from the top box into the bottom box, including those on the walls.
Add queen excluder to bottom box, put second box back with brood in it, nurse bees and others will come up and the next day you can take the brood knowing the queen is in the bottom.
Same as making a walk away split.

TheHoneyPump · July 17, 2019, 11:54:33 AM

Not enough info, so lets state assumptions and go from there.
- you have xx number of hives
- hives were started from nucs
- hives were started 2 months ago at near the same day
- hives have progressed well, except one hive which is really behind the others, slow.

Given the assumptions, look for basic things that stagnate or impair a colony growth. Such as:
- lack of food to feed brood to support growth
- brood disease
- pest/parasite
- poor queen performance

** The most likely issue with the slow hive is the queen. Either she is poor. Or perhaps the bees have already replaced her themselves and that supercedure period is what set them back.
Please show us the brood closeups and overall brood pattern in that slow hive. If it is getting packed, is tight and right, then it is the supercedure scenario. If it is shoddy, spotty, or low amount. Then the poor queen is still there or is a pest/disease issue.

Getting help by your area apiculture inspector is a good plan, the best plan.

saltybluegrass · July 17, 2019, 12:24:09 PM

Thanks beavo and honey.

texanbelchers · July 17, 2019, 02:46:28 PM

Definitely need more information and agree with HP on assumptions and would lean toward a poor queen. They could also have been robbed out with a lot of additional loss there. Another observation is rubber banded comb; was this a removal or just poorly drawn comb?

In any case, it looks like a single deep with very few bees; a whole lot of mess just trying to figure it out. Since you are in Florida you have plenty of time. I'd probably kill the queen, shake them out in front of another hive, and freeze the frames. In a month put the queen and a couple of capped frames with resources from your the largest hive back in the box and let the original make a new queen to get your number back. Depending on QCs made, you may even be able to split that in two as insurance.

I don't know what you have done for mites, but that month would also let you do a solid 5x5 OAV treatment. This would make sure the varroa issue is taken care of before you try to split.

Ben Framed · July 17, 2019, 04:33:41 PM

Texanbelchers,
'' that month would also let you do a solid 5x5 OAV treatment,''
How does the 5X5 work?
Thanks,
Phillip

saltybluegrass · July 17, 2019, 09:27:23 PM

The super was rubberbanded cutout comb the super was a 5 frame nuc into a 10 frame box. My awesome hive is right next door(the yellow one) so they may have robbed. But I watch them fly off nw all the time!!
I left a message for inspector- she?s out until the 22nd

texanbelchers · July 18, 2019, 12:31:26 AM

Quote from: Ben Framed on July 17, 2019, 04:33:41 PM
Texanbelchers,
'' that month would also let you do a solid 5x5 OAV treatment,''
How does the 5X5 work?
Thanks,
Phillip

5 treatments 5 days apart. I have found it more effective than the 3 treatments 7 days apart. OAV seems to have a few day carry over effect, but mostly into days 2 and 3.

Ben Framed · July 18, 2019, 01:04:42 AM

Quote from: texanbelchers on July 18, 2019, 12:31:26 AM
Quote from: Ben Framed on July 17, 2019, 04:33:41 PM
Texanbelchers,
'' that month would also let you do a solid 5x5 OAV treatment,''
How does the 5X5 work?
Thanks,
Phillip
5 treatments 5 days apart. I have found it more effective than the 3 treatments 7 days apart. OAV seems to have a few day carry over effect, but mostly into days 2 and 3.

Thank you texanbelchers I appreciate the information.
Phillip