drone laying queen / laying worker

[beesleybees]

Hi guys,

i have a hive with either a laying worker or drone laying queen.

Evidence of this is eggs is a 'pitty patter pattern' over frames and they are all being capped as drone cells. No capped worker cells

anyway, as there is still quite a few left, should i take the hive to the corner of the field and shake them all out. Then replace the hive back on the original position with a queen exluder on the bottom to prevent drones and any laying workers getting back into the hive

also, when a hive has a laying worker, do they treat this bee as a queen? the reason I ask is, if im to add a mated queen, should i leave them fro 24hrs before adding a caged queen or can i add a caged queen straight away

 

[VEG]

The bees see laying worker/workers as being a queen they will kill an introduced queen. I usually tip them out a fair distance away but I dont put the hive back I leave the stand empty. The rest of the bees beg their way into the other hives the laying workers dont get let in. The queen excluder probably wont work as laying workers are no where near the size of a normal queen, thats why they can be impossible to find hence the tipping out.

 

[beesleybees]

The bees see laying worker/workers as being a queen they will kill an introduced queen. I usually tip them out a fair distance away but I dont put the hive back I leave the stand empty. The rest of the bees beg their way into the other hives the laying workers dont get let in. The queen excluder probably wont work as laying workers are no where near the size of a normal queen, thats why they can be impossible to find hence the tipping out.

Thanx veg,

after reading your advice I had a look on dave cushmans site. He says the hive can be placed back on its original position but no guarantees can be made as to stopping any laying workers making there way back into the hive as they can fly and as you said a qx will not stop them

so, im going to go with your advice and let then 'beg' to be let into another hive. As a newb, Im interested to see if this actually happens. Could i dust the bees in the laying working hive with flour or caster sugar so i can see if they are being let in by other hives?

 

[VEG]

Another way (that I haven't tried) is every week add a frame of eggs/larvae from another hive this is said to stop the laying workers but I have not done this as you will be taking brood from another hive, which will weaken that hive.