[Malaki33]

Hello all My name is Mitch and this is my first time on these forums and my second year of beekeeping. I wanted to tell you all that Both my hives wintered well I checked them on saturday when it was 70 degrees here in Virgina. Both the hives are full of bees but I am unsure what to do now. I gave some 1:1 syrup to help get them going but I am lost as to the rest. Do I change out frames? Do I keep feeding them? Do I split the hive. (last year the hive was only but a NUC!). Another question I have is one of the hives is very very agressive and I was wondering how to try and tame it down someone told me I should kill the queen but I do not know how I feel about that and there is very little literature on the subject. Anything you all could reccomend for any of these subjects would be appreciated.

Thank you

 

[franktrujillo]

hi mitch glad your hive made it thru winter. It's hard to tell what you should do next need more information first off are the bringing in pollen yet.How much stores did they have left if the had stores I wouldn't feed them the queen will need all the extra room to lay changing out frames is not necessary unless there is no room to lay as far as splitting goes are there drones around or you going to have mated queen available.
the hive that is hot how was there stores maybe they were having a bad day that's why they were upset some times if there procting there hive from robbers

 

[Malaki33]

They were hot last year when i got them I thiought maybe the winter would settle them i was wrong. I was not able to look through the hives in depth and probably wont for another week due to weather But it looked like all my frames (at least in the top box) were full of comb (though I didnt really pull them out). I may just add a thrid deep hive body with some frames, until I can get to the bottom hive body and see what it looks like do you think that? My other one (the agressive hive) only has one deep hive body and they were a bit to agitated when I checked them to look through their hive but there were lots of bees.

 

[Malaki33]

Also there is no pollen yet we probably have about a month before that occurs

 

[JRG13]

Typically you requeen a hot hive or break it down into nucs which can help calm them down too, but requeening usually takes care of the issue once all the old bees have died off as long as the new queen doesn't produce a hot hive anyways...

 

[burns375]

Also there is no pollen yet we probably have about a month before that occurs

With out doubt, pollen is coming in now. As far as the mean hive, evaluate them once the flow starts in end of April/May. If still too mean compared to others requeen if you want.

 

[FlowerPlanter]

Lift the back of your hive an inch or so, If it feels light then I would feed them.
Many hives will starve this time of the year, what honey is left will be used for spring brood up and they can use it all up before the nectar starts to flow in another month.

Pollen just started coming in Wed last week, you should be seeing it anytime.

Allot of people are going to disagree--but from what I have seen meaner bees have slightly higher survivability. Out of 30 ferial hives, cut outs and swarms from last year the gentile ones I lost the most over winter. Most of the mean ones seem to make it. By mean I don’t mean AHB mean, just crankier than others, when I lift the lid 10 will immediately attack my vail and several more after my moving gloves (without smoke).

If they are too hot and you must requeen I would remove the old queen and let the hive make a new one that way you will keep some or most of the traits that enabled them to make it through winter. Put her in a small nuc with and a frame or two in case you need a queen or if your hive is not successful at raising a new one.