Maria, You could give the other hive a frame or two of brood to boost them. If the queen is still in the bottom box, put them in the top with newspaper for a couple of days. You could also shake some extra bees in. After a few days consolidate the brood into the bottom box. You can also still feed syrup for frame drawing. They may not have a strong enough field force to collect more than what they need to feed existing brood. might even add a pollen patty

Hi o Tony,
I need more detail! You mean if the queen of weak brood is there, put new brood frames in the box above. Where do the newspapers go? What is the purpose?

understand the sugar syrup- 2 to 1 spring solution?
I suppose the goal is to get the hive strong enough to get through the winter.

I gave them a frame o honey. (feeling guilty as hell) was it a waste of honey or might they utilize it for some good?

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Marie

Maria,
You really need to do a thorough inspection and try to determine why this hive is weak, disease, pest, swarmed or failing queen. Is this hive 3 years old?
You can add capped brood for a "quick" fix but this may not solve the problem. If there is a local bee club maybe get someone there to help.

It was a new package this spring. I spent some time inspecting last week. No disease or pests. The queen shouldn't be failing. I didn't get the bees until the beginning of June, which was a month later than ideal, but shouldn't be a death blow.

I wrote the vaguely titled "mea culpea" post nearby: I am guilty of not feeding the hive long enough. Although there was an early and abundant nectar flow when they arrived, I know now I shouldn't have solely relied on that when the bees were building brood.

I do have a very experienced beekeeper who works with me (and a hundred others) but she hasn't been out here to look in person. I'm working onit! Honestly, I think the colony is weak because I didn't feed adequately early in the season.
LESSON LEARNED

mARIE

Marie, the newspaper I mentioned would go in between boxes. One sheet with some slits cut in it. This is usually used when combining hives. Was that a typo on honey supers? 18 from one hive? If there was such a good flow, the package of bees should have had plenty of resources to draw out the comb. As chigger mentioned, there is probably something else going on. Some queens just turn out to be duds.

Maybe so. Yes two shallow honey supers and no room for more. If was something else I'll be glad I wasn't guilty of beeabuse.

Just curious, is a dud queen an "act of nature" and the beekeeper just takes it in stride? Or do you let the seller of the packets know?

Marie

...meaning every frame was packed both sides with honey. I stuck in some plastic frames which I don't like just on principle (which priciple I don't know and I'm really too new a beekeeper to have principles or opinions about much anyway)

'cus wax foundations weren'tready. When I checked them yesterday, they were really coming along...them's happy bees in there.

bottled about 14 pounds of honey, and 3/4 of the bucket to go. We work in our kitchen (no honey house for this little operation) what a big sticky mess! Its very rewarding, but glop glop drip skretch (noise of sneaker sticking to floor) this is a labor of love.

mt

Marie, If you are buying a package, the seller usually assumes no responsibility once the bees are in your posession, other than a queen being doa. In 6 years, I've only had one bad queen. I'm glad to see you are extracting some honey. I average about 400 lbs and do it in the kitchen also. I have a very understanding wife. Luckily she loves honey! be well, Tony

Hi Tony,
This is the first year I've gotten more than several pounds. And the first season I've had a hive survive the winter.
The harvest from this one hive will probably be about 40 pounds. No idea what it will look like in early september. It has been very dry and in my garden at least, flower production is diminished. I am hoping for a bumper crop of that wonderful purple weed people love to hate! The bees love it.
Marie