[LanduytG]

Received my package bee's on June 15th. I have nothing to compare to since this is my first year, however I think they are doing well. Just checked both hives this morning. Each hive has the bottom chamber full of brood and some honey and pollen. Workers are cleaning cells now from newly emerged brood. Both are drawing comb in the top chamber each have 2 fully drawn frames and 2 that are 50% done. The queen has been in the top within the last 3 or 4 days because I can see larva.

My question is how big can I expect the hive to be by fall? Is it normally one chamber or 2? I really thought about making a nuc by taking a frame of brood from each hive and some stores and get a local queen. Not sure that is a sound plan or not.

Thanks
Greg

 

[Dave Burrup]

I would not remove frames for a nuc this time of the year. If you did it would nee to be 3 or 4 frames not 1. I like to have our hives with two deep boxes drawn out, full of bees, and the top box full of honey for over wintering. Your hives sound like they are on their way, but I would not reduce the population.
Dave

 

[JanO]

This late in the season I'd concentrate on keeping your two hives alive and not bother with making a nuc. They are still building up and with any luck they will go into winter with two full brood boxes. Are you feeding them? I have one weak hive that sounds like yours and I'm feeding them in hopes that they will build up the second brood box enough to make it through winter. However I expect that I'll be worrying about them until spring.

 

[LanduytG]

This late in the season I'd concentrate on keeping your two hives alive and not bother with making a nuc. They are still building up and with any luck they will go into winter with two full brood boxes. Are you feeding them? I have one weak hive that sounds like yours and I'm feeding them in hopes that they will build up the second brood box enough to make it through winter. However I expect that I'll be worrying about them until spring.

Yes I started feeding them again last week. But local beek said I shouldn't have too. Not sure I just want them to have good numbers come winter and hopefully survive.

Greg

 

[johng]

I don't know much about cold winters, and I would normally say listen to the local that said you shouldn't have to feed. BUT, you got a late start so i would feed until you get them built up into double deeps. If they are finding natural nectar they won't take much feed but, why take any chances build them up for winter first. Next spring you can make a two or three frame split. As a matter of fact moving your queens with a couple frames of brood next year could be a good way to increase your hive numbers and cut down on any chance of swarming.

 

[LanduytG]

I don't know much about cold winters, and I would normally say listen to the local that said you shouldn't have to feed. BUT, you got a late start so i would feed until you get them built up into double deeps. If they are finding natural nectar they won't take much feed but, why take any chances build them up for winter first. Next spring you can make a two or three frame split. As a matter of fact moving your queens with a couple frames of brood next year could be a good way to increase your hive numbers and cut down on any chance of swarming.

When I first got them I was feeding, however they really didn't take much. I had then stopped for a couple of weeks because I thought they got honey bound. There was not enough room for brood. So I stopped feeding and she really took off then. Then I started to feed again when I put on the second chamber. They went through a quart a day and now it looks like they might have found more nectar because the last 2 days they have not ate a even a quart. I think when this runs out tonight or in the morning I will leave it empty and see what happens. I'm very busy the next 2 weeks so I'm not going to be doing and inspection for a least that long. Will see what happens.