On Sat, Jul 04, 2009 at 11:32:35PM +0100, David Heaf wrote:
>
> Dave: "and/or perhaps shake in some nurse bees
> from my stronger Kenyan TBH, to supplement their workforce?"
>
> What weight is the swarm? One can weigh an empty box and then the box with
> the swarm and its top-bar cloth and subtract. Though Warr? recommends 2 kg,
> people have been getting off to a good start with 2 lb packages.

I have deep admiration for your hefting device, and your
dilegence in record-keeping of weights. Unfortunately I always
seem to be playing catch-up, making the hives *after* I have a
swarm to fill them, so aren't sufficiently on top of things to
have done so well.

We don't even have a bathroom scales.

> If it is a
> cast then a dose of nurse bees won't go amiss if the hTBH can afford them.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

There's another point. The big hTBH was installed from a
package, May 24. It seems to be doing very well for population
now, but this being my first season it's hard to judge. I guess
I'll give it a try.

Pick a comb of brood (capped/uncapped?), shake it moderately hard
to remove the older bees, then shake harder onto the porch of the
Warre?

> Dave: "A dish, of sugar syrup (I have no honey of my own right now),
> with straw in it seems to be a popular way to feed a warre?"
>
> Yes, in the bottom box. Perhaps restrict the entrance to protect against
> robbers while feeding.

If I only have one box on right now, should I add a second box
for the feeder? Do you have a picture of the size/shape of a
dish and how much straw in it?

--
dave thorn