maddydog
Drone Bee
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2013
- Messages
- 1,257
- Reaction score
- 159
- Location
- north staffordshire
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 150+ nucs and hives
Hi, I inherited a colony at the beginning of June suffering badly from laying workers. I think the traditional solution is to shake the bees out and divide the stores around the other hives. Being a naïve beginner who's interest in keeping bees is scientific/biological I've been attempting to stop the laying workers by using open brood from a strong colony.
I've been successful in the sense that no multiple eggs/drone brood in workers cells have been seen for a couple of weeks, however, the colony appeared to only attempt (unsuccessfully) to rear it's own queen on one occasion around 5-6 weeks ago. I'm wondering what's the best strategy for getting the colony through the winter?
- There are around 4 frames of bees
- 6 frames of stores
Two options I can think of, I'd appreciate any input
1) Attempt to requeen with a bought mated queen? If so, how long have I got given the time needed to find a queen/introduce/settling?
2) Give up. Shake the bees out at a distance from the apiary and allow the foragers to drift to the other hive on site.
Option 2: is a simple matter of removing the hive completely and the foragers will naturally drift (and be accepted) in the other hive in the apiary or is there more to it? Interestingly, I expect the majority of the bees in the failed hive will now be full sisters of the remaining hive where I've been getting the brood from for the last two months!
I've been successful in the sense that no multiple eggs/drone brood in workers cells have been seen for a couple of weeks, however, the colony appeared to only attempt (unsuccessfully) to rear it's own queen on one occasion around 5-6 weeks ago. I'm wondering what's the best strategy for getting the colony through the winter?
- There are around 4 frames of bees
- 6 frames of stores
Two options I can think of, I'd appreciate any input
1) Attempt to requeen with a bought mated queen? If so, how long have I got given the time needed to find a queen/introduce/settling?
2) Give up. Shake the bees out at a distance from the apiary and allow the foragers to drift to the other hive on site.
Option 2: is a simple matter of removing the hive completely and the foragers will naturally drift (and be accepted) in the other hive in the apiary or is there more to it? Interestingly, I expect the majority of the bees in the failed hive will now be full sisters of the remaining hive where I've been getting the brood from for the last two months!