What would be the best thing to do with laying workers?

[Linda G]

I opened the hives because the bees are extremely active and it is more than 15% here in Norfolk. Three colonies are very strong with good brood patterns and filled most of the frames, but the fourth is full of drones and 9 frames of drone brood! I do not think they can be saved as they must have been queenless for months. I do not want to unite them because of varroa in the drone brood, but if I shake them out, will the drones enter the other, healthy, colonies? I'm worried about varroa and also if the drones could influence the healthy colonies to develop the urge to swarm. I could leave the colony to die out because the old worker bees are not being replaced, but then the drones might enter the other colonies anyway. What would be the best thing to do at this stage? Thanks a lot.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Wait for slightly warmer weather (not just a few days of warmish weather during a cold month) and shake the lot out - scrap the brood.

if the drones could influence the healthy colonies to develop the urge to swarm.

why on earth would the do that? it's foraging workers that influence/instigate swarming.

 

[Moobee]

I had a hive of laying workers this week
I’ve moved them 6 feet away for the bees to move out and will shake out and remove the frames later today. Any good brood frames or leftover stores (ie no drone brood) will go in the freezer for 48 hours to kill any wax moth and then stored in an airtight container to use in spring to make up nucs.
The drones were trying to beg their way into the other colonies but they were having none of it!