Bee CPR: Bringing Weak Hives Back to Life 🐝

It might be considered an affliction, but most small-scale beekeepers will care for slow-growing, weak hives right up until the bitter end—often until the colony dies.

We pour all our love (and money) into saving these less fortunate bees, all for what? To cure what ails them, of course! (I say with determination in my voice.)

With enough determination—and if the hive still shows signs of life—you can often turn things around.

Weak Hive Indicators

• Low population: Few nurse bees or foragers
• Excess drones: May signal queenlessness
• Varroa and disease check: Test for Varroa mites, and inspect bees and brood for any signs of disease
• Robbing: Stronger colonies may take advantage of the weak hive
• Odd behavior: Cranky or sluggish
• Empty comb: Drawn comb that’s unused may indicate inactivity

Repairing Weak Hives 

In most cases, unless the hive is completely overrun by pests or disease, queen and nutrition issues are manageable. Although requeening is often the go-to solution, it’s not as simple as dropping in a new queen and walking away. A weak hive may lack the population and resources to support her, making the effort an ineffective expense.

Before requeening, identify the hive’s additional needs:

• Low on nurse bees? Move a frame or two of open and capped nearly emerging brood with attached nurse bees to shore up the workforce prior to requeening.
• Lacking resources (pollen, honey or nectar)? Supplement with frames from a strong hive or feed directly.
• Low forager population? Wait to resolve. Foragers are known to reject or kill new queens. Once the hive stabilizes, if it still needs foragers, try swapping its location with a stronger hive midday. The foragers will then return home to the new (weaker) hive, giving the boost it needs.

Feeding Weak Hives

If the weak hive has fewer than two full frames of honey, feed small amounts of syrup—no more than one or two quarts at a time. Alternatively, you can transfer a frame or two of honey from a stronger hive, but never place honey frames between brood frames. Keep brood together, and place honey on the outside edge of the brood area.

Pollen substitutes can make a big difference, especially for hives low on foragers. Feed in small amounts. If using pollen patties, cut them into small pieces and feed more frequently. Stan’s Soft Sugar Bricks are a great alternative—they’re consumed quickly and offer benefits beyond traditional patties.

Continue feeding until the hive is strong and self-sufficient.

Bee-to-Box Ratio

A common mistake is giving weak hives too much space to maintain and defend.

• For single deeps with fewer than five frames, consider moving them into a nuc box until they begin to recover, requiring more space.
• For double deeps with only five to ten frames of bees, remove one box and consolidate the best of the frames into the remaining deep.

Robbing

Robbing is a serious threat to weak hives. One incident can destroy a colony. Always reduce entrances on weak hives until they’re strong enough to defend against robbers.

Pests & Diseases

Varroa mites are the most common cause of hive decline. This reinforces the importance of maintaining low mite loads year-round.

• Test for Varroa mites frequently and treat when necessary.
• Requeen annually.
• Use screened bottom boards.
• Utilize drone frames when appropriate.
• Support colony health with supplements like Bee Cleanse at least twice per year—it acts as a body cleanser and promotes a healthier hive.