Bees in an empty hive

[AntC]

My first post, so forgive the very basic question please.

I used to keep bees many years ago and now that I have retired I thought I would put an empty hive, with foundation in the frames, out to see what happened. I stuck a couple of lures in and changed them fairly regularly after re-freezing them and they certainly attracted scout bees quite successfully.

I have just looked at the hive and there are certainly bees coming and going and, what's more, carrying pollen.

Should I feed them to help with setting up the colony?

I have two wild colonies living in the roof space of the house and they have been there for at least 16 years and seem perfectly happy there, so it's possible that a small swarm from one of these colonies has taken a liking to my hive. I hope so, because I've often thought of all that honey in the roof space, and no way of reaching it!!

Cheers

Ant

 

[barratt_sab]

We are 20 or 30 miles NW of you, and we have had flow return this week after about three weeks of very little. Most of our colonies seem to be building stores again this week - a couple of them at a fairly rapid rate. We had been feeding one colony that was completely out of stores, but are now leaving them all to their own devices.

I guess you could feed them to encourage them to draw out the foundation, but others here will have a more experienced view on that.

 

[AntC]

We are 20 or 30 miles NW of you, and we have had flow return this week after about three weeks of very little. Most of our colonies seem to be building stores again this week - a couple of them at a fairly rapid rate. We had been feeding one colony that was completely out of stores, but are now leaving them all to their own devices.

I guess you could feed them to encourage them to draw out the foundation, but others here will have a more experienced view on that.

Thanks. Good to hear your bees are doing so well. My inclination is to give them a little feed as you suggest - I don't think it can do any harm.

Cheers

Ant

 

[barratt_sab]

I can't see how it could hurt (other than attracting robbers / wasps to a smaller colony). One other thing you might think about is whether you want to treat them for varroa now, whilst they have very little brood (assuming they've not been in the box long).

I looked at collecting a swarm from a feral colony earlier this year, and there were many bees around the original colony that had deformed wings - there is some discussion on the point here:

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=9622

 

[AntC]

There's no sign of deformed wings in either feral colony and I keep a pretty close eye on them as many come into our bedroom which is right beside one of them!

Good thinking about the Varroa treatment, I'll do that tomorrow when I have a look and see just what I've got. As I have no other hives, the risk is minimal and seeing as how they've decided to set themselves up in my hive, I shall give them every opportunity to make a go of it.