Queenless fo 5 weeks or so

[Beezer]

Hi
I have two hives who have had a Queen, Queen disappeared, refused to lay and one has a Queen with a deformed wing, that has also now disappeared.

I am thinking to unite them with two hives that have come from a nucleus.

One of the Queenless ones has a huge population and an awful lot of drones. They're busy all the time.

Is it safe to unite after so long without a Queen..

Any advice on the way forward please.

 

[richardbees]

I can't see why not as long as they go on top.

Out of interest, are they noticeably more bad-tempered or 'following' ?

richard

 

[oliver90owner]

If you are not confident, add a frame of eggs/young larvae at weekly intervals until they draw queen cells. Then remove the queen cells and unite when all the larvae are over three days old.

 

[Beezer]

They are 'hostile' - watch you and fly up at your hand if you move too quickly across the hive. No stings though, just land on your hand and 'get up on their toes'.

They hardly follow any distance now.

The amount of drones in one is spooky. yet they have piled the supers?

 

[Beezer]

If you are not confident, add a frame of eggs/young larvae at weekly intervals until they draw queen cells. Then remove the queen cells and unite when all the larvae are over three days old.

Thanks, take it three days old for the larvae means three days after they turned into larvae?