Laying workers

[Vance]

I am a first year beek. Finished a trapout and move the hive home about 3 weeks ago. despited giving them several frames with eggs and larva. they have not been able to raise a new queen. I noticed last week all of the capped broad is drone and cells with eggs have multiple eggs. I have maybe 5 frames with bees, but they have not stored much food, and wont hardly touch the feeder. What should i do. if possible i would like to save this hive. I have 2 others that are doing well. Vance

[Tia]

Others may disagree, but I'll tell you what I did when I was a first-year beek and it worked like a charm.

Have a queen ready. Take the entire hive 100 yds away from its home base. Brush all the bees off the comb, reassembling the hive as you go, making sure that none of the girls crawl back in. Take the hive back to its home base. . . .some of the girls will be there waiting for you. The layers will stay behind.

Put the queen in the hive. Ta Da. In a couple of days, go back and make sure all's well and check the temperment of the bees toward the queen which will give you some indication as to whether or not you can release her.

I know brushing all the bees off is a tiresome task, but despite what some beeks say, it worked like a charm for me. Hope you have the same luck.

[Vance]

Thanks, that sounds easy enough.

[dvwilson]

I performed this maneuver this summer. Not fun! The bees aren 't happy when they are dumped. Recounting my experience to a long-time beek, I received a hint that would have been helpful: Instead of brushing one frame, walking back to the hive site and replacing it in the box (by the time you finish most of the bees will be back there waiting for you), brush the hive body first and walk it 10 to 20 feet away from where you are brushing. As you brush each frame, replace it in the hive body. When all frames are completed, walk the hive body full of "clean" frames back to the original site. It may save you some stings. By the way, the end results were great. I introduced a new queen in a cage. The bees released her and I had capped brood about two weeks after that. And the bees are much happier, as am I.

Debbie

[Vance]

Debbie, Thanks for the tip. i ordered a replacement queen yesterday. Will give a shot when she's here. Thanks.

[Rohe Bee Ranch]

What Tia and dvwilson said. It is messy but works great!

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslayingworkers.htm