Want to convert to TBH

[bfpierce]

Hi everyone,

I have two L hives, one without a queen. Next year I'd like to have one L and one TBH. Should I bother requeening the L now or should I just let that hive die off over the winter and buy another colony in the spring for my TBH? I only have room for two hives.

Is there anyway I can take those bees and throw them into the TBH right now with a queen? I wouldn't think they would be able to build comb fast enough. Bees will cluster here in about 4 weeks.

Thoughts?

[Oldtimer]

Bit sad to let the bees die, could they be united with the other hive?

Probably too late now to dump them in the top bar as they just don't have enough time to do what they have to do before winter.

One thought, next spring once your surviving hive has built up a good population, you could dump the queen and a good number of bees in the TBH, and allow the other hive to requeen itself. just a thought.

[sqkcrk]

Why do you want to have a TBH? I believe that you need to learn about beekeeping. If you have a colony that is queenless and you are just going to let it die because it doesn't have a queen then that says to me that you have alot to learn.

Combine the two colonies. Don't let the queenless colonie go to waste. What makes you think that they are queenless?

[Cacklewack]

Like they said, if the hive is queenless, simply combine it with the other hive. Then if you want to start a TBH, or restart the other Lang, catch a swarm or buy a package.

Cheers,
Matt

[honeybeekeeper]

Beekeeping for Dummies is a good book!

[Delta Bay]

I would requeen that hive if possible and wait until they are well built up in spring then manipulate them into the TBH. There is some very good manipulation processes were you can get all the bees into another hive over a three week period that will cause very little disruption.
I would think it best to go through the winter with two colonies because you just don't know which colonies will be around in the spring.

[bfpierce]

Thank you all (except sqkcrk).

[sqkcrk]

Ha, ha, ha. What is your beekeeping experience? And, seriously, what indicates that they are queenless?

[bigbearomaha]

just my opinion here...

Now is not the time to start a new tbh. There is too much for the colony to do to make tht a reasonable path.

If cold temps are that close and pollen/nectar stores will be largely un-availble soon, re-queening is maybe only a 50/50 success, if that.

As the others say, if the one hive really is queenless, it is possibly better to combine the queenless with the queen right colony for now and hope all works out well enough in the spring to split them.

come back to tackle the prospect of starting the tbh another time once you think you got your bee issue addressed.

Like I said, just my 2 cent ( mark stole my dime, so that's all I got left... )

Big Bear

[sqkcrk]

lols big bear. The next one's on me.

[throrope]

I'm with Cacklewack on combining if you only want one lang and I applaud you for pursuing a tbh. I tried last year with a swarm. They looked promising, but didn't make it.

Best way to gain experience is to experience it. Besides, because beekeeping is greatly dependent on the local environment, what one swears by is another's disaster. I prefer my own mistakes to other's. I had prided myself for not losing any hive since starting five odd years ago. This year I lost three of six.

I suggest you look around your neighborhood for a place for your second lang hive. I have two in a neighbor's yard. After his best cucumber crop, I'm never getting those hives back. They're helping me rebuild.

[buckbee]

I'm with the Big Bear on this.

[MeriB]

Isn't that what winter is for, so we can read and expand our knowlege?
Thare is always something more to learn. I have 2 langs and will add a TBH next year. Getting hands on info isn't easy bit it IS there. Take averything with a grain of salt. Read some of Mike Bush's posts. And dont be afraid to follow your gut!
Meridith