Mistakes

This is my first year beekeeping, and mistakes are bound to happen, as they always do.

I kept hearing about "swarming" and was worried that my bees were going to run out of room. I was away for the week, so I added another hive not sure how fast they were going to produce. When I added the second box, I spread out the frames. I had a New Empty Frame, then a Full Frame, New Empty, Full, etc. etc. This was back in April. It is now mid- July and I see that they have not grown, and in fact they stopped making larva all together. This is when I knew I messed up...

Help!

I knew I needed to contact someone with experience so I emailed around and finally someone answered! I was told that the mistake I made was moving the frames around. Inside the hive it should be 92ºF to develop brood. They maintain a tighter cluster to keep warm, spreading them out made it cooler, therefore they stopped making larva. Now I have to put the top bar feeder back on, and feed feed feed! Feed them sugar water until the end of the summer, half sugar water, half pollen patties. I asked if I should move them closer to the flower field, I was advised not to, because the 'field bees' wont find their way back. And to definitely not add the third hive box. Did you know bees have to have 65 lbs of honey to survive the winter? Yea, their far from it #whoops.

I also read in a book that its ideal to get a couple of colonies your first year to compare whats working, and whats not between the hives. I wish I had known this because I wish there was something to compare it to. Next year... Next year....