Interesting

[Chef Isaac]

A few weeks ago, my of my hives from last year (made a lot of honey) I noticed a lot of drones. I check it out and yes, laying worker. I didnt way to deal with it then but the next week, I came back and put on my smoke up box. I wanted the workers from that hive so all I had in that box after the smoke up was all drones. I still did not want to deal with it.

Today I had some time and went to that yard and was going to clean up that hive and take it back. I noticed a big cluster of bees on the side of the hive. I thought it was a swarm so I treated it like a swarm. However, when I placed the bees in a nuc box, all the bees flew back to the side of the hive. I thought maybe the queen from the swarm was on the inside of the hive lid so I opened it and tons of workers poured out. I did not see any drones. I was puzzled. So I took a frame out and it was totally capped. It was crazy.

So a swarm moved into my once a laying worker hive.

Nice ending!! :)

[okb]

Or did something else happen??

[riverrat]

are you sure the hive had a laying worker. Early in the year they will lay a lot of drones prior to swarm season.