Help, What Do I Do?

[paulgeoffrey]

I've been worried about my small colony for a while now. There has been very little activity and no pollen being brought in to what I could see. So today I weakened to temptation and opened the hive up.
What faced me was a lot of dead bees on the omf and very few bees on the frames. (they would probably just cover both sides of a frame if all together). The few frames of stores where honey was uncapped was coverd in places with a white mould. (is this unusual?)
There was no eggs or brood present and the old marked queen was missing but, staring up at me, was a brand new queen.
Checking my records, the last time I saw the old queen was 5th October last year so I guess this new queen will not have mated, hence no eggs?
I am reluctant to unite the survivors with my large, healthy colony in case they are carrying infection. However, if there was a chance, I would like to try to save them if I could. Or will I be just flogging a dead horse now at this late stage?
Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks.
Paul.

 

[Hivemaker.]

One frame of old bee's is not worth trying to do anything with,in my oppinion.
But make sure they don't have disease, if you intend to shake them out in front of another hive or use the combs they are on.The white mould is not unusual in a box with only one frame of bee's.