# Why isn't my hive growing?



## Raven (May 7, 2012)

So I have my first TBH this year that I started in mid May. It was a little late for the Spring flow, but I bought a nuc and installed it into my 4' TBH. I think things are going great. I have 8 bars of brood and 1 bar of honey. The brood area has fluctuated between being just partially full to being very full, but the hive size doesn't seem to be growing. I have found several queen cells but don't know if they are original to the nuc or if my hive has requeened. Either way it seems okay. I started with 5 bars of brood from the nuc. 

So I guess I am looking for opinions. The hive has grown by 3 bars of brood and 1 of honey. I see all three stages of growth in the brood area and I look in on the bees every week or two. I just don't know if I should have more honey. If taking the honey they have will hurt the hive and when and if I should start feeding. We live in southern AZ, so mild winters, but I want to be ready.


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## stella379 (May 9, 2012)

Hi Raven,
This is my first year so I may not be of much help? I started my tbh this May also and I have 20 bars drawn out with a solid 6 of honey. I know Az has had drought conditions do you think you should start feeding now before winter?


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## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

I agree with stella, sounds like you need to put the syrup to this hive for as long as they will take it.


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## stan.vick (Dec 19, 2010)

Put the syrup on them for sure, I lost three of my twelve tbh because they simply starved during a period of rainy weather. I had no idea, I thought they had plenty of food because of the high exit count at the hive entrance. The colonies seemed to be bursting with bees. After I suddenly lost them I went into the boxes and found no honey, no pollen. I think the several previous years of severe drought prevented the flora from producing much nectar this year even though we have had rain this year. Just a guess, but I have them on syrup for sure now. if I am right next year


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## Keefis (May 4, 2012)

Raven,
If your queen died or was failing which I guess she did since you saw the cells...Then you would definitely had a one month lull. That's how long it would have took for the hive to requeen itself. Only after that month would you see new eggs. But since you see new eggs/larvae then you are good or queenright. You are probably in a dearth. No resources for the bees to harvest. Normally when the hive is queenless a lot of honey/nectar and pollen is stored because the inside workload is down, your bees had nothing to gather.
Feed the bees to help them along, and wait till next year to get honey. Sorry


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## rmcpb (Aug 15, 2012)

As you are going into autumn you would not take the bees resources, the one honey bar, as they will need that and more to get through the dearth. Maybe time to start feeding to build up stores so they can over winter.


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