Cut-out

[Curtchann]

Removed a hive from a tree that was being removed. Only got about a frame and a half of bees. Should I move them into a five frame nuc? I added a feeder inside a box to help them along, but my other hives appear to be swarming the box and robbing. Will be removing the feeder. I have drawn comb for them. I managed to band up 2 frames of brood, but the ants seem to have gotten to them. I just don't think there are enough of them to defend a 10 frame box(medium).

[Perry]

Nuc for sure. What are you going to do with them this late in the year? Maybe hang on and see what the queen is like?

[Mosti]

I would add a robbing screen.

[Curtchann]

Perry, I was going to try and save them and nurse them through winter. I definately want to see what the queen is like. I have access to some queens close to me if need bee. I will check on them in a week and see how she is doing. We still have a flow going, so there is plenty for them to gather.

[apisbees]

2 frames of banded brood and 1 1/2 frames of bees the hive is doomed if not bolstered. You should have 4 frames of bees to support the 2 frames of brood. If you want to try and save this colony It is going to require resources from your other colonies.start by shaking nurse bees off 2 frames of open brood from another colony that can afford it. then place a frame of sealed brood with darker capping so the queen can be supported by a good population of young worker bees.
Scrap what I said above it would work but is to much pissing around.
This is what you do. 2 queen the bees from the bottom will come and assets the swarm to build up.
Go to a strong colony make sure the queen is down in the brood supers and place a queen excluder on top. place a empty or near empty super over the queen excluder place news paper with slits on top of that box then a queen excluder followed by the swarm. If the parent hive has a large population a queen excluder can be placed above the 2nd queen brood box and another super added. This will let the heat from the bottom keep the brood warm. The bees will come up and support the swarm queen in her laying and feeding of the brood. In 3 weeks you can assess the laying of the queen and decide if the 2nd queen should be kept and over wintered or popped off and the queen excluders pulled and the hive combined.

[iddee]

You are going to lose a cut out and a good colony this winter, in exchange for an education.

I would first see if she starts laying. If not, combine. If she does, feed heavily and just before first frost, combine with another hive. Preferably a weaker one.

[Curtchann]

Definately got an education. Hive didn't make it.

For future removals so late in the season, i think i will leave them in the tree and bring the log home and let them winter in the log.

[Perry]

We are just starting our "tough" month. March is where things start to become clearer, as in alive, dead, or dwindling.

[riverbee]

thanks for the update curtchann, sorry for the loss, it is how we learn though.  i rarely take late season swarms here, especally if they are smaller, odds are usually against the bees and me.