[Focus on Bees]

I am getting a couple of packages mid April. I have two hives right now and I was wondering if I could pull a couple of frames of brood out of the two hives to put it in with the packages to give them a boost. Any thoughts or suggestions ?

 

[wayacoyote]

Focus,

Thoughts:
Such a technique has been used to keep a newly hived package from abscombing.
It is sure to give the bees something to do until the queen is released. And it will give them a population boost by as many days old the new brood is.

Suggestions:
Don't try assembling a t.v. antennae in the midst of a thunderstorm. Oh, and don't try re-shingling your house in the middle of a tornado.

Good luck, Waya

 

[Focus on Bees]

thanks waya

 

[JohnBeeMan]

>>>Don't try assembling a t.v. antennae in the midst of a thunderstorm

Sound advice, my ggrandfather was struck by lightning and died while connecting a downspout (they did not have tv antennas in 1890s).

 

[Jim Williamson]

Focus, I too am getting two packages along with 8 queens in a few days. I plan to split the package into two and boost the 5-frame nucs with brood and honey from my existing colonies. I'll use the remaining queens to do splits.

Good luck with your new bees.

 

[Focus on Bees]

You don't think there will be any trouble when putting bees from two different hives together ?

 

[Sundance]

I'm thinking you shake down the bees before placing them into the new package. Just the brood I would think.

 

[Joel]

Bruce, you mean like shake the bees down for money?

Now I would shake the frames to get the field workers attached off. The few nurse bees attached afterwards would be accepted by the new hive.

Of course this is what Bruce said, it just struck me funny the way he said it!

 

[Sundance]

Now don't bee a smart arse Joel

 

[iddee]

He's not...He's just a New Yorker...It's to be expected..He doesn't stay in south carolina long enough for the yankeeism to wear off.

Good evening,Joel......

 

[Finman]

Take from existing hive a frame where bees are just emerging. Don't take bees. Shake all bees away. They attach on queen and return their own hive.

No use to give just brood which are not emerging. It takes just room.

You may add emerging bees to nuc and you get it fast in normal condition.

 

[NW IN Beekeeper]

These forums tend to readily swap brood about hives like trading baseball cards. I don't tend to agree with this because it is a good opportunity to spread disease and it induces a great deal of stress that can lend itself to disease and other conditions that can result in hive failure. It also does not provide "true" conditions to evaluate the quality, health, and vitality of the hive on its own.

Focus on Bees -
[...if I could pull a couple of frames of brood out of the two hives to put it in with the packages to give them a boost.]

Why?
The concept here isn't HOW to introduce brood.
It is WHY do you NEED to introduce foreign brood.
Just because you CAN, doesn't mean you SHOULD.
Everything has benefits and costs.

Benefit
-You may gain a growing population or workers and drones several weeks earlier than the package would achieve on its own.
Cost
-You will transfer the varroa in the old brood and give the mites an equal jump start. (maybe even AFB)
Cost
-Brood transfered to the new means less brood for the old. If you are trying to build up a population for a better honey crop, realize at the same time you are also crippling another hive from performing its best.

You need to evaluate the conditions your situation.
(I don't need your answers for the following questions, just please think about them)

Flow/Pollen
Are you in a period of dearth or flow?
Are your other hives readily bringing in pollen?

Varroa
To what degree do your other hives have varroa?
What program are you using to control varroa?
Will the package be in near proximity to the other hives where "drift" needs to be considered?

Foundation
What are you using for foundation?
Are conditions favorable for drawing new foundation?
Would feeding help the current conditions?

Vitality/Robbing
What is the strength of your other hives?
Will pulling frames from old hive compromise their population and possibly their health?
Do you know to reduce the likelihood of robbing?
- reduce the new package (better hive guarding)
- run old hives wide open (more effort/focus to guard home hive(insted of robbing))

Just as you allow a tool to do its work - let your bees work like they know how.

My opinion is that you would be better served to feed your bees and let them pull their own weight.

This opinion would change if:
1. I felt that the new package was absolutely likely to be robbed to death by the two other stronger hives. (When absolutely sure, I would equalize all hives or outyard the package until strong)
2. My other hives were 20 frames solid in brood and I was thinning the brood nest to prevent swarming (even then I just might make up another nuc instead).

Observe your conditions and beekeep appropriately.

Good luck,
JEFF

 

[Finman]

Jeff, you made good questions but if you want honey from yor hives, it does not go that way.

AFB id bad case and you should see, have you dead larvae. It spread anyway in your yard if you notice it. Varroa is not a problem.

I have made great job with week hives when I help with brood from fat hives. It is way how you get normal yield from nuc in same summer.

Diseases are allways behind you. You must take care them.

If you by a nuc and you get not honey, it is vain effort because you get free nucs from your existing hives. Another way is to put 2 nucs together to give good start.