[stinger]

I was under the impression that I may get a little honey for me this year. I put a honey supper on for a couple of months and they didn't put a drop of honey in it. the foundation was all melted and droopy looking. bbbboooo hhhoooo.
I got them as a package in may. everything else looked fine and dandy. so i took off the supers and treated with sucrocide and put on a menthal packet. am I doing it right? Thanks

 

[tecumseh]

I assume you mean you treated the bees (and not the super) with sucrocide???

may is fairly late (given your location) to get a start if you expect to make a small crop in year 1. here in central texas, I buy my queens in early april and typically only one in six will make any surplus beyond their winter needs. the foundation was evidently added after the flow. even moderate heat will make plain foundation to droop prior to being drawn.

 

[Mitch]

I have read here on this forum not to expect honey from packages the first season.Now this may be true some in some areas of the country.This is the key get an early start.Just a few weeks can make a big difference.If i start packages here may 15th i do not expect to get any honey crop,but may 1st some years they will do well,start them by april 15th most years they will produce very well.Now this year was a great year from making honey.I started 3# Russian packages april 27th and got well over 100 lb average from all 5 new hives.This all said an good overwiterd hive will do much better i had 2 and they did 150lbs+ average.But this was a way above average year in my area in bad years i may only get one super per hive.It all depends on Mother Nature no matter hiow good of beekeeper you are.

 

[Ben Brewcat]

Just for a datapoint, I started a 3# package mid-April here in N. central Colorado and did get @ 25 pounds surplus. They did draw out the foundation in the brood chambers? Most folks've told me that if you get honey on a hive's first year that's a bonus, but just count on them establishing usually.

 

[Mitch]

Ben
I was wondering how your bees did.someplace down the line i think might have benn on the chat room we had talke a little a bout you bees.It sounds like you did great.I hope they winter well for you and you get a big crop next season.


Now some one from SC might give there take on first year packages.

 

[Hillside]

The trick in my area for getting a crop in the first year is to start them early, before mid April, and feed, feed, feed, until they get the comb drawn in the two main hive bodies. Then put on a super. You should probably stop feeding at that point.

Even with this method and a good nectar flow, your not likely to get more than 10 or maybe 20 pounds of good honey from a new hive, and some years maybe none at all.