bee questions

[nitarae]

This is my first year of bee keeping and have several questions:
1. We have a couple of week hives that we requeened and then they died, hive was full of wasps and earwigs, what can we do to stop this in the future?
2. One hive has some black bottom bees in them that didn't use to be there and they are taking over the hive, what should I do?
Thanks for your help.

[D Coates]

First, get your drawn frames stabilized (get rid of any scavengers) and stored.  Secondly, consider this year as a learning year.  Over the winter read all you can especially "Backyard Beekeeper" by Kim Flottum.

[AllenF]

Where are you located besides lost?

[BlueBee]

Bee density will keep the pests at bay.  If you have a weak hive, take out frames the bees can cover and/or squeeze everything down to a smaller box.  Go back to a nuc if you have to. 

Your black bottomed bees sound like Carniolean genes.  They’re a naturally darker bee.  Your queen probably mated with some Carni drones and the offspring tends to be darker bees.  There is nothing wrong with that.  If you want more golden looking bees, you’ll need to find a queen source where the queens are primarily mated with Italian drones. 

[Cupcakus]

I am new here, hello everyone!, but I'll be the one to ask the obvious question...  Did you have entrance reducers on your weak hives?

[AllenF]

I keep reducers on most of my hives year long.   And I also keep screen bottoms open also.