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Too late to save ?

2K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Clayton 
#1 ·
Hi everybody,
I just checked one of my hives and just looking from the top there was lots of bees dead with there heads in cells. I couldn't see any capped honey. There is still a small cluster of bees on one side. They are starving ? How can I save them? Can I put honey right on the top bars ? Should I use my miller type feeder (With what in it) ?
 
#2 ·
2:1 sugar/water syrup as soon as possible (weather/Temp permitting) if you are to save them, if they have brood they will not move to the honey you add to them.

If the weather is warming up feed them as soon as possible and hope for the best.


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Chuck
 
#3 ·
How many frames of bees? What is the size of the cluster, baseball, volleyball, ect?

Do you have honey available? If they are starving you need to move quickly? I would avoid using liquid feeding as it will stimulate causing more food to be needed. If you have a pail of granulated honey would be good or a frame of honey off the side of the colony that you could uncap and place right next to the cluster would be good. Do you know how to do the honey packet method which doesn't stimulate. Since you live in NY I wouldn't stimulate a weak colony till April as you may over tax them in there weakened state. Let me knoe what resources you have.

Clay
 
#4 ·
I think there is about 1 or 2 frames of bees maybe a soft ball sized cluster. I have both sugered and not sugered honey left. I just put some honey on the top of the inner cover and they moved to it and started eating in in about 5 minutes. After about 10 minutes there was more bees on top eating honey so I poured a whole pound on the inner cover, hope this was ok to do. I don't know the honey packet method can you explain please.
 
#5 ·
Ive had good luck putting a sugar candy mixture on a sheet of newspaper over the cluster on the top bars, a few lbs of candy should keep them alive.You don't want to disturb the cluster by pulling frames or anything unless you've got warm temps. like in the high 40s-50f min.
 
#6 ·
I don't know the honey packet method can you explain please.

reply:

You will need file folders that are used in file cabinets (cheap). Tape up two side so that 3 are closed to make a pocket and fill with granulated honey then close the top. Take to the hive you want to save and pull the frame that the cluster is next to. Shake off an bees clinging to that frame and poke holes in the packet with hive tool and squeeze out some honey and slip in the packet where the frame was. The bees will consume the honey and chew up the packet as well. Check from time to time, every 15 days from the time you put a packet in. I've used this method in very cold weather so don't worry about the cold just work quickly and close up shop.

Clay
 
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