Posted this at Beemaster, too, as it feels like a somewhat desperate situation at this point. This hive came out of winter with lots of bees - when I first opened it in late February, there was a mass of bees the size of half a soccer ball hanging from the inner cover. The next time I went in - a week or so ago - there were few bees, a queen, very little brood, and loads of stores. Today I went in and no different - very little brood, very few bees. I cleaned out the bottom, but there were fewer than 10 dead bees there - no sign of sickness. First question is "What happened?", second question is, "How can I save the hive?" I gave them a bucket of syrup and they didn't touch a drop. Between the upper and (beeless) lower deep there is an abundance of honey and pollen. I took off the lower deep after moving some full frames upstairs to replace some empties. At this point I am thinking that the queen is not laying because there aren't enough bees to tend the brood and keep it warm. I am thinking that I should move them into a nuc box and relocate them to my home (this hive is 30 miles away at my school) so that I can watch them and maybe give them a frame of brood from another hive. How does this idea sound? Any other suggestions? I guess that there is likely no good answer to the first question, but if anyone has any insight, I'd appreciate it!
How to save a dwindling hive?
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they are not all worth saving
Newspaper combine with a couple frames of brood and nurse bees. Once combined, requeen. You could always bank the old queen or queen a nuc with her to test the theory she won't lay for lack of nurse bees.
Me, I would combine. If she didn't lay, I'd replace her and call her a dud.
Me, I would combine. If she didn't lay, I'd replace her and call her a dud.
no one left behind......:no:
When there is a strong queen she will lay, even if there is less than 1 frame of worker bees left inside.
You did not say how many bees are remaining. So you can bank this queen and take this hive home to
nurse it back by giving it a frame of eggs from your strong hive with young nurse bees to grow a new queen.
This way you will have a new queen and a nuc hive later on.
You did not say how many bees are remaining. So you can bank this queen and take this hive home to
nurse it back by giving it a frame of eggs from your strong hive with young nurse bees to grow a new queen.
This way you will have a new queen and a nuc hive later on.
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