On Tue, 23 Jul 1996, Jim Moore DTN276-9448 ogo1/e17 508-496-9448 wrote: > I have a 2 first year hives, 3 lb packages installed with new > foundation back in May. Hive #1 is currently 2 deeps and a medium. The > > The brood chambers of the two hives are in vastly different > states. Both hive are 10 frames in all boxes. > > Hive #2 has 8 frames of brood area in the lower box and 8+ frames > in the upper deep. > > Hive #1 has brood only in the bottom deep (6 frames) and lots of > honey in the upper brood chamber. > > > If I harvest Hive #2's honey supers in early August will they > have time and space to store enough honey for the winter in the deeps? > Here in New England bee winter with 2 deeps. > > For hive #1 are there tactics that I could have used or can be > used to get the brood chamber back in the bee baby busines and out of the > honey storage business? > Hi Jim, I think you are correct in assuming that removing brood only 3 or 4 weeks after starting the package may be why this colony is behind colony #2. There are other factors that can cause variability in colony performance. Queen quality, both physical and genetic are important. The initial population of the colony is a big factor. Often there is drifting after package introduction causing some colonies to lag others. Hive position with regard to sunlight or a stress like skunks are other factors.