Drone Laying Queen - the story continues......

[youngyoungs]

Further to my previous thread

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=24563

the story continues:

Tonight I decided that, if there wasn't any sign of worker brood, then I would load the hive up onto a barrow, take it to the end of the field and shake out all the frames. In preparation I also moved another hive 2ft so that it occupied the spot the DLQ hive sat previously. I haven't seen the queen, just where she has been.

Quick look at the hive, and no change was apparent. So off I went, shook/brushed them all off. Job done! Truthfully it felt pretty weird throwing all the bees out.

Things I should have thought through.
A sundress underneath the bee suit is not the best protection against a rather disgruntled hive of bees.
Annoying one hive upsets the others.
Starting something like this at the end of a day when the light was going was not one of my best ideas.

Questions
Is there anything else I should do, or should have done to make this easier?
What should I do with the combs that currently have drone brood in them? Should I melt them down, or put them into another hive to be cleared up?

Thanks all

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Things I should have thought through.
A sundress underneath the bee suit is not the best protection against a rather disgruntled hive of bees.
l

I know - made the same mistake myself - more than once

Questions
What should I do with the combs that currently have drone brood in them?
Thanks all

melt it down, too many drone cells will cause you problems in the long run.

 

[MuswellMetro]

i would have moved the hive to the bottom of the garden in the morning and at least some of the returning foragers would have left and found a new home

later then sprayed them with weak syrup, waited an hour then shook them out

 

[VEG]

Sorry but can't get the image of Jenkins in his sun dress out of my mind lol

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sorry but can't get the image of Jenkins in his sun dress out of my mind lol

You should try it - allows plenty of cooling air to circulate around the nether regions My grandfather, Doris swore by it

I'm sure Dusty will have a few confessions of hot summers in surplices!

 

[beeno]

Hi youngyoungs,
Phone a friend to help you find the queen and squish her and then unite with the other colony. That would have been easier, but I suppose you went this route because you could not find the queen.

 

[Outlander]

Hi youngyoungs, I did the same last night with a drone laying worker colony. I think we ask for advice and also read what to do in these situations but it never seem to go how it is supposed to. Took them up the field and did the same as you, shook and brushed. This morning carnage outside two hives that were the nearest to the original spot. Not a great feeling having to do it at the time but something needed doing. Next time I think I would leave an empty hive in the old spot and once flyers returned unite them the newspaper way.

 

[beeno]

Hi outlander,
Sorry to hear that the shaking out of your laying workers colony did not go smoothly. Maybe it's the time of year or what one person sees as carnage another accepts as collateral damage? However, youngyoungs did have a drone laying queen not workers. Hope they have calmed down by now. I agree it is very upsetting indeed.

 

[youngyoungs]

All, thanks for the advice. I have never seen the queen in this colony otherwise squishing her sounds like a good idea. Leaving an empty hive in the old place so the flyers have somewhere neutral to return to and then uniting with another hive is also a very sensible move.

I do have a nuc that also has a DLQ, that looks as if she has a damaged abdomen. I found her last night but didn't follow through on the turfing out. Seems like she should be squished and then the flyers united with another colony.

Maybe we should have a thread about what people wear under their bee suits-but then again, you can have too much information!

 

[beeno]

Hi youngyoungs,
Good stuff there. I start it off by say I go commando. Not sure that would liven things up at the apiary inspections these days. Only joking much too sensible for that! I have been seen running in the buff from bathroom to bedroom much to my daughters disgust. Thankfully I shall be having my own en suit within the next couple of weeks!

 

[Outlander]

All, thanks for the advice. I have never seen the queen in this colony otherwise squishing her sounds like a good idea. Leaving an empty hive in the old place so the flyers have somewhere neutral to return to and then uniting with another hive is also a very sensible move.

I do have a nuc that also has a DLQ, that looks as if she has a damaged abdomen. I found her last night but didn't follow through on the turfing out. Seems like she should be squished and then the flyers united with another colony.

Maybe we should have a thread about what people wear under their bee suits-but then again, you can have too much information!

Kill the Q and unite the whole colony not just the flyers. I had DLW and thats why I shook them out if you can find the Q take her out and squish and unite as normal,