[Jackam]

I had a colony die over winter. I have three new packages coming soon.

The old hive has two deeps, one full of (empty) comb and one that has appx 4 1/2 frames of capped honey, as well as many more partial frames with uncapped syrup.

So with those 20 frames, how do I distribute to each hive? I thought about each hive getting 3 with honey, 3 with drawn comb, 4 brand new frames with foundation. What's your take on this?

Also, if I DO give them the honey frames, where do I put them? Center of the group? On each side of the group?

I can easily take the honey for myself, give each hive 3 frames of drawn comb and 6 new frames. I just don't know what's best.

Thanks,
Jack

 

[bison]

Your plan sounds fine to me. They'll love the drawn comb and it will help them build a population quickly. Some food will alleviate any need to feed syrup and give them energy to draw the other frames. I'd put a couple drawn frames together in the middle, then a couple new ones, then some honey and comb frames, with the outermost new frames (as they often don't draw that out much anyway).

 

[sqkcrk]

I had a colony die over winter. I have three new packages coming soon.

The old hive has two deeps, one full of (empty) comb and one that has appx 4 1/2 frames of capped honey, as well as many more partial frames with uncapped syrup.

So with those 20 frames, how do I distribute to each hive? I thought about each hive getting 3 with honey, 3 with drawn comb, 4 brand new frames with foundation. What's your take on this?

Also, if I DO give them the honey frames, where do I put them? Center of the group? On each side of the group?

I can easily take the honey for myself, give each hive 3 frames of drawn comb and 6 new frames. I just don't know what's best.

Thanks,
Jack

Were they mine, I would put 4 empty combs in the middle, a frame of honey on each side, then a frame of foundation on each side and the outside two frames honey also. Unless you don't have that many frames of honey.

 

[Edymnion]

Yeah, empty comb in the middle, honey on the sides, and then empty foundation on the outer edges will most closely mimic how the bees would do it themselves (brood in the middle, food on the sides, then expansion room).

 

[Vance G]

I am in cold country but I always liked to put a frame with honey right in the middle surrounded with empty brood comb and full frames on the outside where the bees can move it where they need it. If I needed to fill in with foundation frames I put them just inside the outer frame full of honey. As the colony gets established I would move the foundation frames in between two frames of sealed brood where they tend to be drawn very prettily and in a hurry.