Installing packages in winter kill hives

[honeylocust]

Okay, this is probably an ignorant question but: What is the best way to install packages in a hive that didn't make it through the winter?

My thoughts as to why they died is that the OA treatment for varroa mites was done too late so they didn't have enough time to build up before winter came. (The mite investation exploded faster than I realized.) They seemed healthy enough in all other aspects so I don't think I need to worry about any other diseases.

Do I put the queen in the bottom hive body and then place the top hive body back on? Or would I just use one hive body to begin with adding the second hive body at a later time?

I have quite a few frames of capped and also uncapped honey. Do I leave all that in the hive now for the bees to use or would it be better to replace the heavy honey laden frames with empty drawn comb?

Thanks in advance for any replies. My other thought is that maybe it doesn't make a whole lot of difference on how it is done.

[Joel]

First and most important why did bees die in the hives you're using. You need to be certain it wasn't related to foulbrood otherwise you will not only infect the new package but likely increase the spore count in your currently healthy hives. how are the combs. Get rid of those dark, nasty old combs. they harbor all kinds of disease, pesticide residue and such. Now take what you have left and adjust the frames so the best. (least amount of drone comb) are in the middle where your brood nest will be. Move your declining combs to the outside. Make sure the bottom boards get scraped clean of bees, wax, crystalized honey and other debris. set your body (hive not you) on the bottom board, pull out the center 4 or 5 frames. Once you've given your packages a good dosing with 1 to 1 sugar syrup by misting them with a hand held plastic sprayer, Dump those prettys into the bottom of the box. Carefully replace your center frames, doing it slowly to allow bees to climb up on the frames. They will clean out any dead bees in the frames and old pollen and such. Stick that queen cage into the comb at the top of the center frame with the screen so nurse bees can feed her. ( Likely you could release her since she was probably accepted during shipment of the package, You can determine this by seeing if the bees are biting her screen -Don't release, or feeding her-release) If you don't have bloom yet (which you should) or if inclement weather is expected for a couple of days give them a quart of 1 to 1 sugar syrup. cover and leave em alone for a couple of days. Start with just one hive body and when the queen has laid out about 7 frames (a queen in warm weather will lay about 5 to 7 frames in 21 days)add the 2nd Hive body. The frames with honey are OK once you've eliminated foul brood as the cause of the dead out. Make sure to get stung a couple of times to help get your resistance up early in the season.! smile.gif

[honeylocust]

Thanks for the reply Joel. Foulbrood didn't seem to be the problem. Varroa was definitely a problem so I feel comfortable using the old comb. The comb is only 1-2 years old and I don't use pesticides, just natural means of controlling problems.

I've hived new packages on new foundation before but I haven't lost a hive until now (2 hives lost out of 2-100% loss).

At the moment there are more frames with honey than frames with empty combs. So there would not be seven frames available for egg laying unless the bees eat out the stored honey. Would I need to take out the honey laden frames and give them more frames with empty combs then?

I still wonder if both hive bodies shouldn't be used to give them the room they need for the egg laying?

And with all that honey inside the hive would it be neccessary to feed the sugar syrup?

Just some thoughts.

[db_land]

IMO the bees will do better installed in a 5-frame NUC until the first batch of brood emerges (or you can reduce a standard deep to 5 frames using folower boards). I would give them two frames of honey and the middle 3 frames as empty as possible for brood rearing.

:cool:

[Michael Bush]

I do find they seem to take off better in my climate with a minimum of space to start off. But then you have drawn comb and probably some full of honey and pollen. I'd probably put the package in eitehr one ten frame box or one five frame nuc. I've started them in as much as three medium boxes, and they did fine. Just not as booming as the ones I started in the five frame nucs.

[Joel]

Put in your frames of honey, I would hope for at least 5 frames with 70% open brood comb. They'll arrange their stores and clean out a brood nest in no time. I would use just 1 super. You need to have the queen and workers to organize and lay out about 7 frames ( 21 days or so) in the 1st box and then add a 2nd super. The natural tendency will be for the queen to move up into the 2nd super and not lay out your 1st. If you start with 2 You'll find in your area that the 1st box will then not be used much for brood or honey storage (bees store around the brood nest) and most likely pollen bound by the end of the season. Although bees don't actually heat their living space, only the cluster, having less draw on their heat in a confined area seems to help. Michael and DB both make good points about a 5 frame nuc box. Bee's started in a confined area and given space before crowding seem to do better. In your area the weather will become settled very soon though and a single hive body will serve you well. Hope you have a banner year!

[honeylocust]

Thanks for the replies.

One box it is then. Already took the top boxes off, arranged the frames and am ready to go. Next week the bees should arrive.

Can't wait to get going again. I sure miss them.