Queenless and Starving?

[Nick W]

Hi

You may remember my old thread.

2 hives. 1 has brood other one empty, no eggs or larvae.

I took a frame of brood from good hive and put into Queenless hive.

Went today and found the frames like in the picture.

Very few bees (2 frames in all) and hardly any stores.

I have ordered a Queen which will come this week.

Do I:

1) Introduce Queen
2) Feed with syrup now
3) Unite hives

Advice appreciated.

Thanks in advance.


Nick

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[Heather]

I would have checked that grotty hive and if a queen- dump her and unite.
But you have ordered a queen, so dump old, if there, and leave 24 hrs then introduce new queen in a cage without her accompanying bees.

 

[Haughton Honey]

On top of Heather's excellent advice, one you've introduced the Queen properly and left well alone for two weeks or more, you may still have the opportunity if the weather remains reasonable to even out the brood between both hives a little.

 

[Chris Luck]

As per previous posters but like that in September and with so few bees I would have simply merged with the other colony. I guess you'll have to feed like crazy with the new Queen and hope for good weather for the next 6 weeks or more.

Chris

 

[beeno]

Nick,
So sorry to see that. I am a newbie but surely you have not got enough bees to cover any prospective eggs/brood that the new queen will lay or is your other hive heaving with bees?

 

[MuswellMetro]

Nick,
So sorry to see that. I am a newbie but surely you have not got enough bees to cover any prospective eggs/brood that the new queen will lay or is your other hive heaving with bees?

i think you are correct Beeno

you could try to overwinter in a poly NUC or a normal hive bulked out inside with insulation to Nuc size with insualtion on the roof, but i doubt a small colony with new queen will have suffiuent nurse bees to cover much brood. HM is not going to lay 3000 eggs a day with just a handful of bees to prepare the brood comb and feed them

 

[Nick W]

So my best chance is to unite the Hives then? I may be able to hold the Queen as it is being posted this week..................

Nick

 

[tonybloke]

So my best chance is to unite the Hives then? I may be able to hold the Queen as it is being posted this week..................

Nick

it's what I'd do.