[Durstlight]

I have a lot of honey stores from my hives that have died this past winter. I have packages ordered and my question is this, is there any problem with just leaving the capped honey in the comb and just putting the packages right in the hives, as opposed to extracting the honey and feeding it back that way. Obviously I need to be concerned of what killed the last colonies, however I don't believe there is any there to contaminate the new packages, thanks for any thoughts!

 

[burns375]

The open brood will definitely be a boost. I would be a little worried about adding too much comb to a package at first until they are established and growing. That will take 2-3 brood cycles, 1- 1.5 months.

I would probably do 6-10 frames during install. Perhaps 2-4 honey, the rest pollen and open comb. If they start rearing alot of brood, then can go thru honey very quick. Protein patties will give boost/aid until there numbers are high enough to forage on natural.

 

[Vance G]

Brush off surface dead bees and debris. Make up single chamber brood nests with frames with empty comb and some honey in the middle. Pollen frame each to the center. A great boost to your bees. A local commercial beek shakes new 2 pound packages on to prepared broodnests the middle of April and they make him a good crop every year.