Moving full supers to another hive.

[B Special]

One of my two hives is queenless and has been for several weeks. No eggs, larvae etc. very little activity and numbers have dramatically been reduced. My question is - there are two supers full of honey on this fading hive but non of it has been capped. Is it possible/sensible to transfer them to other other hive. What are my options ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Of course it's possible providing you KNOW they are healthy bees.
Have you investigated why they are in the state you describe?

 

[Hawklord]

So long as there are no health problems, I would still use the newspaper though.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Can you not save the residual bees?
Can you not unite the whole colony? It will give the bees a raison d'être

 

[Hawklord]

Can you not save the residual bees?
Can you not unite the whole colony? It will give the bees a raison d'être

I agree, but I would make sure they were queenless with a test frame.

 

[Cussword]

I agree, but I would make sure they were queenless with a test frame.

Don't let Rab hear you say that.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Don't let Rab hear you say that.

Why?
You can demonstrate queenlessness easily with a test frame or two.

 

[Hawklord]

Why?
You can demonstrate queenlessness easily with a test frame or two.

Is it possible for them to raise queen cells if there is a queen there but failing? If so knocking down the queen cells and uniting, without dispatching the queen, would cause problems. Similarly, op says queenless for several weeks, if on the verge of laying workers, would they refuse to make a queen cell?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I guess you have to take the test frame results together with all the other things you see. A failing queen would still be laying? The bees would have tried to supersede her earlier? Similarly a failed queen would have been replaced?Laying workers on the cusp? I don't know. That's why I said a frame or two (not both together).
I have seen walk away splits refuse to make QCs until the third test frame.
All I can say is that if there are queen cells made then you have no queen.
No queen cells made doesn't mean you have a queen.

 

[hallshoney]

moving full supers to another hive

I would simply shake or brush off adhering bees place supers on top of strong hive. If they are dwindling fast they are going to get robbed out soon anyway. Reduce the entrance then do test frame or reqeen.

 

[Cussword]

Why?
You can demonstrate queenlessness easily with a test frame or two.

I'm pretty sure that it's been said that you cannot prove that a hive is queenless by using a test frame.

Although, it might work a lorra lorra times