How to Fix Weak Bee Families in the Spring
Sometimes, as a result of unsuccessful wintering or for other reasons, some bee colonies are greatly weakened and occupy no more than 4 standard frames in the spring after the show, that is, they are very weak. Such families also need urgent correction.
Many beekeepers correct such families, podsalivaya their printed brood and young bees, taken from other, usually well-developing families.
Recently, through the establishment of special experiments, it has been proved that this is a widespread activity – the reinforcement of some families in the early spring due to the weakening of other, stronger families, is unprofitable for production, and often harmful. It is easy to understand from the following example.
Let’s assume that there are two very weak families on the apiary that need reinforcements, each of which has only 3 streets of bees, to correct these two seeds they need to give a total of 3 frames with brood or bees (at once – one at a time frame, and then – more), a total of 6 frames. The selection of these frames in the early spring very much slows down the growth of those families from which these frames are taken. Observations show that the loss from slowing the growth of these six normal families is much greater than the benefit that can be given, two very weak families. This can only be resorted to in the extreme cases for the reinforcement of certain families at the expense of others.
To fix very weak families, they need to be planted two in one hive, separated by a plywood partition, supplied with food and very well insulated. Heating each other, such families with good queens develop rapidly, perfect without delaying the development of other families. It is advisable to give them water in the beehives. It is very important that the beekeeper knows the condition of each family during wintering (which is quite possible), and during the exhibition from the winterman such very weak families put nearby, allocating for them the best, warm, sheltered places from the wind at the apiary point.
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