UPDATE on Hive Manipulation....

newbee101 · November 09, 2006, 10:33:45 PM

I made a styrofoam wall inside a deep and shallow super to take up some space in this weak hive.
It runs from the bottom board all the way up to the inner cover. It should provide a great windbreak also. Thanks Finsky and everyone who responded for the help.

Brian D. Bray · November 10, 2006, 09:53:51 PM

It might be the angle of the lens when the pictures were taken but it appears to me that the hive is a little light on capped stores. If you put the styrofoam pad on the windward side of the hive it should help. The hive still appears a little puny so diligence for winter feeding is a must, I think.

Kathyp · November 10, 2006, 10:22:40 PM

before i got a proper entrance reducer, i put some Styrofoam in the front entrance before an east wind storm. before i'd even walked away from the hive, they were chewing it up and removing it. might they do the same with Styrofoam inside the hive?

Michael Bush · November 11, 2006, 09:34:19 AM

>before i'd even walked away from the hive, they were chewing it up and removing it.

I put it in the bottom of one of those styrofoam nucs to make it a medium instead of a deep. They chewed it all up and tried to remove it. Except the static made it stick to everything including the bees.

I'd use the more closed cell pink or blue foam, not the open celled white styrofoam. Even then they will chew it up, but not nearly as badly.

Finsky · November 11, 2006, 03:05:05 PM

Quote from: newbee101 on November 09, 2006, 10:33:45 PM
I made a styrofoam wall inside a deep and shallow super

Stil you have really few bees in he hive. You need to take at least another box away.

Michael Bush · November 11, 2006, 04:18:44 PM

>Stil you have really few bees in he hive.

Yes, where are the bees? I don't see even a handful.

newbee101 · November 11, 2006, 07:01:56 PM

There are bees in there, it was early in the day when I took those photos. They are down in the bottom box. I removed the first deep because it was completely empty, except for some nice drawn comb and a little pollen.This was the hive just before I took out the empty frames and moved them to the sunny side of the hive.

Finsky · November 12, 2006, 12:20:36 AM

You should still take more empty frames away and leave only those which have bee cover. Then in those frames need to be enough capped food .

Here is a good colony in one deep for winter in Finland. This style is usefull in winter and in spring.

Brian D. Bray · November 12, 2006, 11:57:44 PM

Now that looks more a like a hive should look going into winter, whether 1 or 2 boxes the quantity of bees should still fill the hive on warm days when they're not in cluster.

newbee101 · November 13, 2006, 03:50:46 PM

QuoteStil you have really few bees in he hive. You need to take at least another box away.

Thats why I closed off half of the hive.
The second box (shallow) has capped honey on top of them. They have about 35lbs or so total.
Wont they go up as they run out?

Finsky · November 13, 2006, 04:38:44 PM

If shallow has good capped winterfood you may shake bees into shallow box and overwinter there. If deep has brood you may give them to another hive.

newbee101 · November 13, 2006, 04:45:30 PM

Finsky, There is honey in both boxes. Most of it in the deep (below). Thats where the bees are now, down in the first box. I was afraid they would run out, thats why I left the 5 or so frames of capped honey in the shallow. Is this not more important than the open space above?

Finsky · November 13, 2006, 05:25:35 PM

Newbee, you are really tough guy. You have too much room for colony still. But I have told what to do. I can't more.

newbee101 · November 13, 2006, 06:02:38 PM

Finsky, I am not a tough guy, I just like to ask alot of questions. You have 40 years , I have 3.
I am just having a hard time justifying removing the honey for a smaller space. Maybe someone would answer these questions since Finsky wont.

QuoteI left the 5 or so frames of capped honey in the shallow. Is this not more important than the open space above?

QuoteWont they go up as they run out?

Zoot · November 14, 2006, 01:00:09 PM

Newbee,

I have a somewhat similar situation in one of my hives - a fairly small colony that consists of one brood box and 2 supers above. The first super is full of honey but the upper super has only 4 frames of honey, the other 4 frames in it (I use 8 frame mediums) are empty.

2 oldtimers ( a pair of brothers near me who've kept bees for about 30 years) came by the other day and gave the opinion that I should just leave the upper super on the hive. I pressed them on the issue of the empty space to either side and they didn't seem worried about it. They seem to think that our relatively mild winters of late would allow this configuration to exist with no problem.

newbee101 · November 14, 2006, 01:59:53 PM

Zoot, its a little colder up here in CT. I blocked off the empty side of the hive to help this weak hive.
I am trying to save this colony, rather than combine. The stubborn side of me says leave the extra honey, they might need it. The experts say make it even smaller. I already removed 1 deep and 40% of the space in the remaining boxes. It should be in a nuc.

Kathyp · November 14, 2006, 02:44:29 PM

i had a super with extra honey. to make the hive smaller, i took it off and put the frames in the freezer. i'll feed them back as needed. it just means that i'll have to check on them from time to time.

is that an option for you?

newbee101 · November 14, 2006, 10:37:19 PM

That is an option, my hives are right next my house. Maybe keep an eye on them and give them back the honey in the early spring. Thanks for the replys.