Popparand
Field Bee
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2017
- Messages
- 511
- Reaction score
- 21
- Location
- Suffolk
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 10
I have three hives together in one apiary.
No 1 is with an over wintered queen. 4 supers of partly filled comb, and a brood box busting with bees with plenty of capped brood waiting to emerge, although not much growth over the past few weeks.
No 2 is a swarm I picked up 6 weeks ago. The brood box is half full of new comb and plenty of capped and uncapped brood.
No 3 Another swarm from 6 weeks ago but only a limited amount of capped brood and hardly any uncapped.
2 and 3 were quite light a couple of weeks ago so I have been feeding both with syrup. No 1 has plenty of stores and I didn't want to risk sugar honey by feeding. I suspect there has not been much nectar around for the past four weeks or so.
At the present rate I can't see 3 building up fast enough to get through the winter, even if it lasts that long. No 2 should be OK at the present rate, but I doubt it will produce any crop unless they really get cracking.
I am tempted to leave no 3 alone - if it survives so much the better, but probably a long shot.
I am thinking about adding a couple of frames of capped brood from no 1 to no 2 to give them a boost. They might even yield a box of honey if I do it quickly.
Or just leave them all alone? What to do? Any advice gratefully received...
No 1 is with an over wintered queen. 4 supers of partly filled comb, and a brood box busting with bees with plenty of capped brood waiting to emerge, although not much growth over the past few weeks.
No 2 is a swarm I picked up 6 weeks ago. The brood box is half full of new comb and plenty of capped and uncapped brood.
No 3 Another swarm from 6 weeks ago but only a limited amount of capped brood and hardly any uncapped.
2 and 3 were quite light a couple of weeks ago so I have been feeding both with syrup. No 1 has plenty of stores and I didn't want to risk sugar honey by feeding. I suspect there has not been much nectar around for the past four weeks or so.
At the present rate I can't see 3 building up fast enough to get through the winter, even if it lasts that long. No 2 should be OK at the present rate, but I doubt it will produce any crop unless they really get cracking.
I am tempted to leave no 3 alone - if it survives so much the better, but probably a long shot.
I am thinking about adding a couple of frames of capped brood from no 1 to no 2 to give them a boost. They might even yield a box of honey if I do it quickly.
Or just leave them all alone? What to do? Any advice gratefully received...