laying workers sort out

[sahtlinurk]

Hi all

got this problem in one of my hives . i also have one nuc were the queen came into lay recently. plan is to move the nuc into full hive and move the LW hive from it original place and place the nuc hive instead of it. so the flying bees will join the nuc hive, later on will move the supers on nuc hive and shake all the rest of LW bees on the grass. Will it be success ? dont want to get the young queen killed. They are on spring OSR so plenty of work.

Cheers,
Lauri

 

[masterBK]

If in doubt don't do it. Laying workers can fly (its a myth that they can't. It has been shown that between bouts of laying they will do other duties around the hive and even forage).

If you shake them out well away form the hives the bees will fly back and try to enter the nearest hive to their original site. If they try to enter a full colony the ordinary workers will be let in without any problem but any laying workers will be intercepted by the guard bees and sorted out! However Laying workers may well get into a small stock like a nucleus and kill the queen.

 

[itma]

You might think of stacking the two colonies, separated by a swarm board with mesh in its floor.
That should allow the brood pheromones from the nuc to shut down the laying workers in the other part. After that has happened, the colony smells having been shared for a period, the actual joining should be smooth.

 

[Sean.]

ITMA,

Have you done this before? I was not aware that a LW could be reverted back, but have seen the research that older bees can become nurse bees again. So it does make sense.

How long would you say they need to be on top for? Would it be until the LW stops laying?

Sean

 

[Finman]

,
If you give to the laying worker hive a larva frame, they start to make queen cells and laying workers will disapper.

Laying workers become from "desperately queenless" colony.
When they have brood, situation is normal again.

Laying worker hive is not more difficult to requeen. At least In have not found it. If you have an old queen, which you cast away, give such to them first. So you see what happens.

But personally I would join the hives. I woud put them to make honey before they die. They are old bees.
YOu may put a queen under "push in cage" and then you see, are bees agressive to the queen.

 

[Finman]

You might think of stacking the two colonies, separated by a swarm board with mesh in its floor.
That should allow the brood pheromones from the nuc to shut down the laying workers in the other part. After that has happened, the colony smells having been shared for a period, the actual joining should be smooth.

That is very good alternative too.
I have done this decades.


.

 

[sahtlinurk]

thanks all. i have given them a frame with eggs etc, also queen cells, nothing.eggs were jucked out, larvae capped, qc destroyed. its a nice big colonie and collecting lots of honey, dont want to shake it apart eventhough they are a bit nasty due do not having a queen. will try this mesh option q+ above it.

cheers,
Lauri

 

[itma]

... will try this mesh option q+ above it.

cheers,
Lauri

Just make sure that your meshed swarm board has an entrance in the upper rim.
Sheperd board? Like Cushman's "Wedmore or Split Board", but with a mesh panel... http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/natsplit.html


Don't know for sure, but I'd expect (heat rises etc) that putting the q+ colony on the bottom might get more pheromones into the other box than putting it underneath. Maybe not a great difference, but "every little helps"?