Double brood, loads of honey, little brood, QCs

[kevrhcfag]

Definitely not.
Shake them all out is the only way forward here

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This.

Or leave them to their fate.

Combine and you risk losing the other colony / queen.

 

[oliver90owner]

Brood pattern? Queen or laying workers?

You need to be very careful, if uniting. Shaking out is one quick option. Another would be to place this hive adjacent to your good hive for a week or so and then move it entirely away (say, 5 metres) on a warm flying day. That would allow flying bees to transfer. Then shake out the rest.

Shaking bees out on a cold day might not be good news for them - particularly if mouse guards are still in situ or a restricted entry. Bees don't swarm, at this time of the year, if there is little brood and loads of laying space. Please just think, before making inappropriate claims. Yes, bees do swarm in March - but not likely this season in the UK, I would suggest!

 

[REDWOOD]

No eggs but drone brood? there must be eggs. Queen cells ? capped or not ? if they are capped have a look inside one of them. Probably got a drone laying queen and do what others have advised and shake, however if you can find a mated queen and add a few frames of emerging brood then you might be able to save your hive but honestly is it worth it.

 

[Swarm]

OP doesn't say how much worker brood, just that it's in short supply.

 

[Jthebeek]

I don't disagree! wouldn't be my choice but I have more than 2 hives so a bit easier to stomach the loss. Was just another idea to ponder

 

[44Whitehall]

Thanks for the advice here. I concluded that I must have had a drone laying queen as the limited brood was well organised (though I was unable to locate her) nor was there any young/uncapped brood.

I have taken the advice here to shake out the remaining bees and reduce to one hive. Come swarm season I'll take a split and start a new colony.

Thanks again to all responders.


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