Stealing foragers from strong hive

[rickyd20]

I checked my hives out yesterday. 3 of them were fine, with brood in them all, however 1 was quite weak, with no brood, but there were eggs in the bottom of the cells, so I believe the queen is ok for now. The cluster in this hive was tiny, not much bigger than a tennis ball, and they have plenty of stores. I really want to save the hive if possible, or at least save the queen.

Obviously I cant give them brood from another hive else it will get chilled, so would it work if I were to swap the position of this hive with one of the others with more foragers? My worry is that the stolen foragers will realize the queen in the new hive is not their own, and may attack her.

I would appreciate any advice for this, and am open to any better ideas than swapping the hives around.

 

[snelgrove]

So few bees and no brood probably not worth trying to save it, I would suspect the queen isn't much good either.

 

[Goran]

I checked my hives out yesterday. 3 of them were fine, with brood in them all, however 1 was quite weak, with no brood, but there were eggs in the bottom of the cells, so I believe the queen is ok for now. The cluster in this hive was tiny, not much bigger than a tennis ball, and they have plenty of stores. I really want to save the hive if possible, or at least save the queen.

Obviously I cant give them brood from another hive else it will get chilled, so would it work if I were to swap the position of this hive with one of the others with more foragers? My worry is that the stolen foragers will realize the queen in the new hive is not their own, and may attack her.

I would appreciate any advice for this, and am open to any better ideas than swapping the hives around.

Some beeks I know use this:
1st put some plate ( or hive roof) in level with entrance of hive where you want to add some bees ( connected)
2nd choose hive from where you want to take bees, find queen and leave that frame, take other frame with bees from brood box and shake bees on the plate in front of weak hive. Young bees will go like the river into that hive, old bees will fly off. No fight, no hazard for the queen. I tried it several times, it was all OK.
This way some beeks use to "level" colony strength before main forage.
Other way I use more often:

Also check where is queen from hive you want to take bees. Leave that frame aside, choose frame with brood and bees you want to take. Take that frame and leave otuside the hive for 5-10 minutes. Then just add that frame to desired hive, also old bees will fly off and young will remain..

I wrote all of this, but when re-reading of your situation better don't apply on your colony. I advise you to merge with next to it..
The ways I wrote use for some worth saving.

 

[Finman]

So few bees and no brood probably not worth trying to save it, I would suspect the queen isn't much good either.

I am same opinion. Perhaps hive has nosema and now it has value of zero.

If you add bees to the colony, new bees may get nosema too.

 

[madasafish]

Stealing bees from a strong hive (and making it weaker) to add to a weak hive seems illogical when thought about. I don't do it: tends to not work..

 

[Finman]

Stealing bees from a strong hive (and making it weaker) to add to a weak hive seems illogical when thought about. I don't do it: tends to not work..

Swapping means that the good hive looses its foragers and most of nurser bees. Its build up will be jammed.

Advice, how to spoil a good hive. Yeas, guys do that, but it is mad job.



.

 

[rickyd20]

Right, fair enough. I'll just leave this hive alone and hope for the best.

Is there any way I can bank the queen for a month or so, so I can use her for a split later on in the season? Or is she not worth saving also?

 

[Finman]

.
Buy a new queen. I bet that queen's workers are not tolerant against nosema and vain to try same next winter.

 

[Eyeman]

Hi
If your going to leave them alone to take their chances then at least move the frame with the bees & eggs with some stores into a well insulated nucleus.
Alec

 

[BeeJayBee]

Is there any way I can bank the queen for a month or so, so I can use her for a split later on in the season? Or is she not worth saving also?

Yes, I agree with what Eyeman's already written - you could put her and the in-use frames into a nuc on the existing hive stand.

You don't know what's wrong with the colony - it could be Nosema, the queen could be failing, or it could be that they are too small a colony in a very large box so giving them less space to heat might help them turn the corner. Then again it might be a waste of time.

Whatever the outcome, you will learn from experience.

 

[rickyd20]

Yes, I put them in a poly nuc yesterday when I saw they were weak. What I will do the next warm day is dummy it down to 3 frames with some insulation. Or would 2 frames be better?

Thanks all for the advice. It's a shame this happened, but I at least have 3 other hives that will make it.

 

[Tomo]

Increase heat retention e.g. dummy down or/and insulate, feed- fondant at this time of year. Give the queen a chance before requeening? This is what I did with a week colony and its now going well, although wasnt as small as yours.