a Quick and Simple Trick to Saving Small Honey Bee Hives

a Canadian Beekeeper's Blog
Beekeeping on the prairies can be a challenging endeavor. No one year seem to be the same. Sometime we do everything right as beekeepers but mother nature does not deal us the same cards. Because of this we as beekeepers need to manage our hives with many tricks in our pockets. Salvaging weak or small hives in the spring is one management strategy not generally favored because weak colonies are seen as inferior stock. But in years when the failure of colonies is not related to colony inferiority but rather to poor weather related factors, the choice to salvage these failing colonies is warranted.
This is a Montague of a few "salvage" related videos from the 2018 year after a hard winter. We managed to boost and preserve over 30% of our operating stock with a simple trick of merger.
Watch the videos and try to understand

[@scottmaschino1927]

Keep splicing the vid together grouping topics. Very helpful. And I need my bee fix. Can only handle so many days in the shop getting ready for spring before needing something to remind me why I'm in the shop.

[@jozsip]

I seen this In the spring 2018 when you first posted it and I tried it with one of my week hive also and it did save that hive. Thank you for the idea I learned from you!

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXnUhIGEn8qqhNU

[@johnward3946]

Great video! Being an apprentice beekeeper I learn so much from your videos, Thanks and keep em coming! 😎🐝👍

[@issentsov]

Thank you, Ian, for your educational work!!!

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXnUhIGEn8qqhNU

[@user-bz6sj2ou1l]

Hello from Russia! Very beautiful! Very interesting to watch your videos!!! Good luck!!🙏👍👍👍

[@issentsov]

уже скоро будет и перевод:) Translation is on the way)

[@user-bz6sj2ou1l]

Блог Сенцова. Пчеловодство для каждого Отлично!! Будем очень рады)

[@northatlantic2723]

Great information! Thanks for making these videos! I've been binge-watching your channel. I like to see how gently you work when going through the frames, despite having well over 1000 hives. I've seen big guys being a lot rougher on the bees than you, and it's not necessary. Then again, you don't need to duck-tape the ankles of your trousers to your boots :-)

[@AB-vk5ye]

Thk u very much! Thank you for your work and sharing! Very interesting! (Message from 🇨🇵)

[@j.d.8075]

Very useful knowledge shared...

[@newatthis50]

If I keep watching I might learn something. Heard a Meadow Lark. Hadn't heard one of those since I left South Dakota. Thanks!!

[@toddparsons5780]

If flying weather is good, you can also switch box placement so the foraging force returns to the weak hive to help populate it. The strong hive will endure without issue. Less work, but maybe you don't get as many bees + no nurse bees. Still, the extra resources & heat helps big time.

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

todd parsons Yes, that can be finicky It also changes the colony dynamics of the hive which has their field force purged away.

[@andrewmunn3499]

I'll likely give this a go in preparation for pollination this spring. I have been primarily boosting with brood frames to date, but this might save me some trips to the yards. Your saving me time/money Steppler, I'll buy the coffee...

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

lol! what ever you do, first focus on what your objective is, then dig into that tool box to achieve it

[@andrewmunn3499]

@@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog My Tool Box has greatly expanded following your videos over the past year. Much appreciated sir...

[@rodsmith6453]

Thank you from Montana just wondering were you get your plugs for your lids I am going to start bucket feeding and do not want 2 sets of lids ,thank you for all you do

[@Bigbarry20]

Look forward to all your smart videos

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

barry ballard Well you might be waiting a while if you are waiting for smart videos lol

[@ratonanady6111]

Kerja bagus kawan....... I like the bee,, 👍👍👍

[@tomkelly8827]

I did that for the first time this spring. It worked so well! I would say that it is less work then making splits and waiting for queens to start laying.

[@fishmut]

This has nothing to do with creating more colony’s ie splits but rather making much stronger colony’s and saving some hives that were weak , different all together. Than what your talking about.

[@denniscrutchfield3395]

good advice given

[@AntennaBee]

Ian , such a simple effective idea brilliant!! Can I ask what you use in your sprayer ?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Colin Edwards Honey bee Healthy, just to mix smells

[@tonywestsbees6042]

Great compilation video. Love the motto: Don't give Up, Keep Fighting and Moving Forward! When you add a weak hive over a strong hive (with paper and excluder), what is your success rate (of both Queens surviving)?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

I ran 95% or so successful merger. We add the unit before the small one dwindles too much and as the strong unit is actively growing

[@joeblow4029]

thanks for these videos. i have a question. what is the purpose of the foil insulation under the cover. i can see the use in winter, but it looks like you have it on all year

[@richardhaen]

U use pollen patties do u have beetle lay their eggs in it? Good video thanks

[@tmcuevs7988]

seems like you have 2 queens separated by excluder. how do you manage that?

[@roderickwheatley9946]

Question: Does the top box (the weaker one) have its own entrance, or do the foragers pass through the bottom box?

[@smokeydabeecharlescoleman8365]

Do you have a video on equipment preferences and why ? I have noticed that you have a large assortment of frames including plastic . Do you run ten frame brood boxes and 9 frame honey boxes and if so , why ?

[@larrytornetta9764]

Do you requeen the weak hive after it has been strengthened? Do you think the reason for the weak hive is a bad queen?

[@geanitsucuneli4791]

Good morning! what is your opinion about plastic frames?Are them good for comercial grade beekeeping?

[@serenapeterson8130]

When you flip the boxes in their sides, are they at greater risk for robbing? So great to see you take care if the little ones. All bee lives matter! 😁 Such great management of your resources. I'm learning a lot. Thank you for sharing.

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Serena Peterson Na, I just tipped them for my video lol

[@kaistumer198]

Looks like you flip them early in spring, just for accesment, when still less then 10°C and little to no foraging is present, right?

[@scottpierson7495]

Ian quick question do you build your own Lids or purchase? If purchase where? Thank you hope you ready for 2022.

[@ibrarhussain8219]

Good

[@rickmoore5368]

I am just curious what is the material you are using under your covers. Thanks.

[@kvadrad1]

Hey Ian. For how long did you leave weak one on top? How long does it take them to become equal?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Kva draD 2-3 weeks

[@user-pf5mm9bt9x]

Хороший и познавательный фильм,так держать.

[@zeekebagley2691]

So simple yet effective

[@chriselliott1702]

Do you think this method would fix a laying worker problem?

[@markmartin9412]

Hey Ian, what are you spraying on the hives around the 10 minute mark in this video?

[@randalljoslin4582]

Mark Martin Probably a weak sugar water mix. Gives the bees something to do and calms them down.

[@tjones2ful]

Will that work if you have multiple boxes on the bottom and add the weak one on top?

[@kellybarnes1887]

Do you worry about the bees in the top boxes overheating prior to the newspaper getting chewed through or is there a top entrance?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Kelly Barnes Na

[@aktaskovan4346]

çok güzel sizi hayranlıkla takip ediyorum bende 400 koloni var ama sizin gibi güzel arı yapamıyorum sırrı nedir

[@joseacevedo4304]

Can you please tell me what are the ingredientes you use for protein cakes thank

[@AndreMiller-RED]

During the heavy flow do u use single brood or double brood?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

single

[@bbaker6295]

I like the chipmunk voice ian

[@truthseeker8359]

So what is the population threshold you're looking for coming out of winter?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Micah James 3 frames looks to be a magic number

[@mikethompson4854]

What type of bees do you keep ?

[@sloanick100]

My colonies are all looking pretty weak. Would it be smart to join 2 smaller colonies together like this so they can share heat on their brood? Or is the risk of losing a queen too great?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Nick Sloan 2 small will build both or perhaps salvage one

[@NORTHSTARBRESSE]

what do you use for smoker fuel?

[@creatorediillusioni]

cool video, just a question: is not the newspaper toxic for the bees?

[@julieenslow5915]

creatoredillusioni I googled it for you. "Apr 25, 2017 · Older newspaper inks have been known to be toxic, but most modern inks have a base of soy or water. Not all newspapers are necessarily safe, however. Some newspapers might still use dangerous petroleum-based inks with a high amount of volatile organic compounds (or VOCs) in them. It is often best to test them to be on the safe side." It is my understanding that the changeover to non toxic inks has been completed in the US (its the law now) and I believe Canada has done that as well (probably ahead of the US). If anyone has additional information that agrees or corrects this please post here.

[@joshuanurse2064]

Are you using plastic foundations or beeswax foundations

[@user-qz7cj6ub1n]

СПАСИБО

[@davidkoch733]

When adding the 2 queen colonies together, why wouldn't the strong queenright hive bees kill the weak box queen on top even though the queens are separated by the excluder?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

yes, that is definitely a consideration and that is why in some instances this technique will fail. Basically, if the queen is good, the colonies will unite, if merged slowly and undisturbed

[@kaistumer198]

This only works in the spring, when the colonies just Start to thrive. If you do this to late or in summer, it won't work. The clue about this is, that you have two queens in a colony that can't fight each other and thus start to lay more then normal, to show the colony that sehr is the better Queen.

[@henerelarsen711]

Wintered hives like this in nz

[@gamingnarrativesandstories1700]

Nice video. Among those who fail, how do you know, it is the strong hive queen, that is the one, that survives? I asume, you know that, otherwise you would be gambling with a good queen to save a potential inferiour queen. Or am I off here?

[@user-bf2gp2uc8e]

Dear Ian , Hello,I folow for your video from KZbin . I live in russian village, because I want to know how you make patty for bees? Sorry for my english. I look forward to your reply, thank you.

[@russiane.lection-hacker2057]

It's laborious, but I'd say it's a good investment of your time if it works. So what's the final success rate of these twofer hives? How many queens did you lose?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Russ Ian E. Lection-Hacker 95% successes

[@russiane.lection-hacker2057]

@@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog Wow, that's excellent! As soon as I have an opportunity, I'm going to try this.

[@MrYendor1968]

how many hives could you join to feed into 1 supper stack. and could you add a venting system into the hive boxes to push air flow thru the hive cluster, and is there really a limit to joined hives if there was a shared venting system , I have seen 3 hives going into suppers all workers where mixing

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

MrYendor1968 Limitless All you gotta watch is to keep queens apart

[@MeyerTribe7]

What's in the spray bottle?

[@davidelliott9691]

What's your rough average loss yearly ???

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

10-15%, expected annually. Bad years come around as with all beekeepers

[@user-tm9lk9cz9k]

@@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog Hello, do you need a beekeeper worker and how much he earns per month, please thank you

[@stradz9564]

Why were they kept vertical

[@polmacbradaigh9506]

Where is the cappedbrood I that hive that had 2.5 frames of brood

[@wadebarnes6720]

How good is the new bee's

[@wadebarnes6720]

This video was made before you started making your own Queens right or wrong

[@godsstandards]

👍what is the song at the beginning of the video? 😊

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Jeffrey Hoffmann A complementary song from KZbin

[@krispapas9834]

So theres no chance of taking a split off the strong hive?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

perhaps, but no. the split moved up and developed that salvage hive. so same thing, right?

[@kennym2035]

Ian is there any Sign of the murdering hornet 😬

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXnUhIGEn8qqhNU

[@biswaranjan5135]

Helo broader

[@keithsteele5580]

Won't they build queen cells in the brood box above the excluder?

[@wadebarnes6720]

At least you got plenty of fuel for your smoker all the paper you tearing off

[@dick2829]

This guy is all business, he doesn't really care, it's all about the money. He sound nice because he's from canada.

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

nat saxon Ha ha yes, it’s business

[@sloanick100]

nat saxon I think Ian makes a good chunk of change from the amount of honey he is processing. That being said he has been keeping bees for about 20 years. Believe me in the beginning it’s not about the money. Every beekeeper friggin loves bees and he is doing a great job feeding people great honey. And yeah us Canadians are pretty great lol jk... sorry was that a bit cocky? I’m really sorry

[@user-tm9lk9cz9k]

@@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog Hello, do you need a beekeeper worker and how much he earns per month, please thank you

[@tachiu6394]

Maaf ya allah hamba liat ini.

[@youtubecensors9453]

Good