[Wrenchforhire]

I checked my hive today, and the bees are gone, there are 5 frames of honey 8 brood frames, and some empty frames that they did not draw out. What do I need to do to be able to reuse the hive, the frames, and can I give a nuc a boost with a frame of honey? Or is it all suspect and better off to start fresh.

 

[Cloverdale]

Depends on why the bees left; what so the brood frames look like? Had you treated for varroa at all and if you did when and what?

 

[psm1212]

I checked my hive today, and the bees are gone, there are 5 frames of honey 8 brood frames, and some empty frames that they did not draw out. What do I need to do to be able to reuse the hive, the frames, and can I give a nuc a boost with a frame of honey? Or is it all suspect and better off to start fresh.

The short, practical answer is: it is all most likely fine. If it were me, I would freeze the frames (though nature may have taken care of that for you in Indiana) and save them for use in spring nucs.

The conservative, super-cautious answer is: Unless you are 100% positive that the bees did not die of a disease that can contaminate comb (foulbrood, nosema, etc.) then do not use it.

I would have no problem using it again. But then again, I also run with scissors.

 

[grozzie2]

I checked my hive today, and the bees are gone, there are 5 frames of honey 8 brood frames, and some empty frames that they did not draw out. What do I need to do to be able to reuse the hive, the frames, and can I give a nuc a boost with a frame of honey? Or is it all suspect and better off to start fresh.

I would just restock it with a package. You have brood frames, and food frames. A 3lb package will have those frames full of brood within a few days of the queen starting to lay.

 

[Fivej]

Addressing your nuc: If you are confident that you did not have a disease or virus, yes you can use the honey to give your nuc a boost. But this all boils down to why your hive did not survive. You really should address that and when you have a reasonable hypothesis, you will be more confident going forward. If it was a case of not treating for mites, maybe you can get your nuc ready to explode by spring, transfer to the regular hive and then split late spring. Give your new hive the undrawn frames in the spring and feed so they draw them out. J