Installing Package interesting problem.

[barbskittykatz]

Installed two packages into two deep supers with six frames each and a feeder in the middle. Hung the queen boxes between two frames in each hive. The first hive went well, did the second one right after, the hives are about a foot apart. The second hive seemed to go well also but after a couple hours I noticed the activity level on the second hive was very low and on the first hive there was alot of activity. I did'nt think too much of it. The next day in saw the same thing so I decided to open the hives to investigate, it seems as thought the two packages have merged into the first hive. The second hive had a total of maybe 30 bees all were on the queens capsule, the queens are both alive and well. Talked to the guy we got the packages from and he had never heard of this before, he suggested taking half of the bees and put them into the second hive and screen them in for a day. has anyone seen this and know why this could happen and does the fix i was given seem like the right way to handle the problem? thanks

[Chef Isaac]

It is called drifting. When you install packages at the same time, some will drift to another hive then you intended them to do. It is a common problem. That is why it is easier to either install them in the evening or early morning.

It is best if you take some frames of brood and adhereing bees and put them in the hive that needs it. It is a quick fix.

[Ross]

Shaking some bees into the weak hive may help. You could also swap their locations. Any bees foraging will then come back to the weaker hive.

[JohnK and Sheri]

You mention you have a feeder in the middle. Is this a frame feeder? If it is I would move it to an outside frame position, so as to not divide the bees in half, so to speak.
As others mentioned, they probably drifted for one reason or another. If you switch the hives position you will pick up those lost bees. Later on, when there is brood, if there is still an enormous difference, transfer some of the brood to the weaker one.
Sheri

[Aram]

30 bees and a queen will not make a hive. No way! And I doubt waiting for the strong hive to build and cap a couple of frames of brood and then adding these to the 30 bees would do any good.
One option is to leave them and just go on with one strong hive.
Another option would be to move half of the bees some distance away and lock them in, queen-less, for a day. Then try introducing the abandoned queen. Bees in a package have not been with that queen for very long. Most of the time they've been together just for the shipping period. Obviously your bees all prefer the one queen.
Is there a way to put some distance between the hives? A friend's yard a couple of miles down the road? THey probably don't need such a great distance since they had just moved in and don't know their way around. Just enough so they don't find their way back to the queen they seem to prefer.
Good luck and keep us posted. I'm curious how this gets resolved.
Aram

[Michael Bush]

Sounds like they liked the one next door better.

[barbskittykatz]

Thanks for all the input. I definately think they liked the other queen better It wasn't more than 5 hrs before I noticed no activity on the second hive. I took the dealers advice and put half of the bees back into the second hive with that queen and screened them in for a day. Opened them up this morning and they seemed to go right to work cleaning out the dead bees and foraging. Seems like both hives are now functioning properly. I hope they continue. This is my first attempt at bee keeping, thought I may have done something wrong but from what I've read I dont think so. I'm hooked it's really fascinating!