[labradorfarms]

Ok , I have two packages of Bee's that are 12 days old..... One hive is constantly taking SS and all over the hive top feeder>>>> The weak hive is taking zero and there hive top feeder has no bees in it!
I checked them close today. The strong hive was working on building comb on about 4 frames. Larva,capped brood and eggs and a small section of capped honey were seen...

The weaker hive was working on drawing out about 3 frames. They had the same as the other execpt capped honey , but not nearly as much.
Both hives were bringing in pollen.....

I suspected robbing from the stronger hive. So I put a piece of tree bark in front of the entrance...

What is going on with my weaker hive??? Is it just slow starting? Or does everthing sound fine??

I forgot the strong hive has a Brushy Mountain feeder with floats .. Which seems better so I ordered one for my weak hive..
The weaker one has one of the black KB ones.....

 

[Rader Sidetrack]

Re: 12 day old package Bee's not taking sugar syurp?

If "they had the same as the other" means that the weaker hive also had brood/eggs, then I think things are OK at this point.

I wonder if perhaps some drifting might have occurred, with bees moving to the stronger hive. If you think that might have happened, one possible way to strengthen the weaker hive is to swap the two hive locations.

 

[labradorfarms]

Re: 12 day old package Bee's not taking sugar syurp?

Ok, Thanks for the advise......

A Beek from the local Bee Club. Told me that if the weak hive wasn't taking sugar syurp to just remove the feeder. Because most likely they have found enough nectar and pollen somewhere else. He also said that there was no reason to worry unless I had no brood or eggs.

 

[Joseph Clemens]

Re: 12 day old package Bee's not taking sugar syurp?

Also, consider, with fewer bees, they won't be able to take up or use the same amount of feed as a colony with more bee bodies.

Also, make sure that the syrup is warm, especially for the weaker colony, since they won't be as easily able to warm it with their fewer bee bodies.

Large numbers of active bees, create incidental warming, by their body heat. Fewer bees produce less body heat, so they have more of a warming issue to overcome than stronger hives. Sharing body heat works for bees, at least as well as it does for us, if not better.

Wax, comb production, and brood rearing can only happen if the bees can create the extra heat necessary for these activities. Either ambient temperatures cooperate, or enough bees, with enough warm food in their tummies, are active enough to generate the heat necessary. After all, it isn't winter cluster time anymore.

 

[labradorfarms]

Re: 12 day old package Bee's not taking sugar syurp?

Thanks.. I don't think being warm is a problem here. The temps have been in the high 70's here and up to 80 some days.... The night time temps have been from 54 to 60.
I started to try a 2 to 1 SS , but think that would be wasted since there not taking it anyway..

Also, consider, with fewer bees, they won't be able to take up or use the same amount of feed as a colony with more bee bodies.

Also, make sure that the syrup is warm, especially for the weaker colony, since they won't be as easily able to warm it with their fewer bee bodies.

Large numbers of active bees, create incidental warming, by their body heat. Fewer bees produce less body heat, so they have more of a warming issue to overcome than stronger hives. Sharing body heat works for bees, at least as well as it does for us, if not better.

Wax, comb production, and brood rearing can only happen if the bees can create the extra heat necessary for these activities. Either ambient temperatures cooperate, or enough bees, with enough warm food in their tummies, are active enough to generate the heat necessary. After all, it isn't winter cluster time anymore.

 

[labradorfarms]

I think I am going to follow Rader Sidetrack and my local beeks advise that things are fine for now... I may give it another week or so and and then rethink thing's.

I am going to build a robber screen and put it on the weak hive . That way robbers are one less thing for me to rule out..