[hoodswoods]

You may have to take your shoes off for additional digits in the counting process.

I have 20 deep frames of various types of drawn comb from a 2-deep winter dead-out (brood, uncapped stores and capped honey - which I plan on extracting prior to reuse). All have been in the freezer (expect the capped). I also have 5 frames of deep undrawn, for a total of 25 deep frames.

I plan on introducing a 5-frame deep nuc into one deep box and placing another deep box over it immediately - what would be the best configuration of the remaining 15 frame spaces with the 25 frames I listed above to jump-start these bees?

Keep in mind that I also plan on packaging 3#s into a second, single deep adjacent hive. What configuration would be best to help them get started? I assume that they would like at least a few frames of drawn brood comb (5?) with what to their outsides? Uncapped nectar, extracted honey comb, empty foundation?

I'm obviously more concerned about the packaged hive, since they will be starting from nothing. Also, by using drawn comb, would it be best to start the package hive before the nuc hive so that they have time to establish themselves and be able to protect their hive from robbing by the nuced hive? How would I best prevent that?

 

[mike haney]

put the package bees in a single box with 10 drawn frames. add a secound box only after they are making use(stores/brood/pollen) of 7 of the ten frames. put the nuc in a single box with 10 frames total. put on a secound box only after they are using 7 or 8 frames. use bucket feeders on top of the frames on both hives till the quit taking syrup-even after they are in the 2nd box. close the entrance to the smallest opening to deter robbing, be prepared with a robber screen (do a "search" here). good luck,mike

 

[hoodswoods]

Thanks Mike,

So you make no distinction as to what the comb was used for by the bees previously with regard to where it is placed. So I assume that they will manipulate the comb, whether old brood or extracted honey, according to their own personal 'interior' design?

Hoping for better luck this time around.

 

[mike haney]

yep, they'll "remake" it to the size they want. they continually do this in an established hive. keep a watch out for mites and SHB. good luck,mike