My worst nightmare has happened, I'm down to one hive. Overwintered two but one, has just chucked in the towel. No queen, eggs etc and about 2 frames of bees left. It was hard work keeping it going last year, so I'm not surprised its fallen at the last fence. Anyway, my son ever the optimist say we will just need to start again. Fortunately the hive we have is looking very strong, its been working for a good 4 weeks and the air in the garden has been thick with bees all weekend. I have not opened is up yet as this is the 1st decent spell of weather and the next door neighbour has been working in his garden barely 10 feet from the hive.
Anyway, the question ...... what is the best way for a novice like me to increase the number of hives I have. Its a national hive, single broodbox, and the bees are probably carnies, the queen hatched out in the second half of last June. I'll move the hive to a farm tomorrow night and get a look in to it on Tuesday afternoon.
PS I have not fed the surviving hive since I took the feeder off them at the back end of last year, the hive that just died did get an early feed to try and get it going.
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