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help! question about new hive install

Posted: Sun May 03, 2020 9:49 am
by jdlilly
Newbie beekeeper here. I installed two packages yesterday in new side-by-side hives. Today it looks like 95% of the bees are in one hive. Both queens were removed from their queen boxes. I was able to spot the queen in the near empty hive. Will the bees sort themselves out? Should I move frames to emptier hive to try to balance out? Thanks for any advice!

Re: help! question about new hive install

Posted: Mon May 04, 2020 8:26 am
by kristinahoney
Hi,
It sounds like your queens were released awfully fast. I'm guessing you used a marshmallow?
Turn the full hive around backwards. Hopefully many of the forageres will return to the front facing hive on their own.
Make sure you're feeding both hives heavy sugar syrup, 2 sugar : 1 water using INSIDE feeders. Each should have 1/2 pollen patty directly on top of the frames. Reduce the entrances to about 3".
Cheers,
Kristina Williams
President, BCBA

Re: help! question about new hive install

Posted: Mon May 04, 2020 2:24 pm
by jdlilly
Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it!