Question

[Area051]

its been 3 weeks since I put in 2 new hives, the first hive is doing pretty well, the queen is laying in good patterns, the second hive on the other hand im afraid will die, all the queen has done is lay some brood, thats it, i think that hive is a gonner, unless there is something u can do.

[Sundance]

In the middle of the day......... Take hive #1 and switch places with hive #2. The returning foragers from the stronger hive will bloster the weaker. Then give her a week or two and if things do not improve...... requeen the colony.

Gook Luck

[Area051]

thats the thing, Hive #2 is not weak yet, it is collecting alot of honey, the only problem isthe queen isnt laying, but isnt it 2 late to requeen if the hive is already 3 weeks old?

[Michael Bush]

>all the queen has done is lay some brood, thats it

Isn't laying brood her only real job? What is the issue? Not enough? Not capped?

[Area051]

Oh i am sorry i typed that wrong, all the queen has done is layed drone and thats it, no brood at all, and i think this hive will die because she has not even started to lay.

[rodo]

She's a drone layer, no good. Knock the bees in front of the other hive and start over.

[Ross]

Get a queen, or pinch her head off and give them a frame of eggs from the other hive. If you have a good population of bees, its not too late.

[Chef Isaac]

I would buy a queen, break down the hive to a five frame nuc, place the new queen in and let her grow from there. Than you still might be able to capitalize on the honey flow depeneding on when it is for that area.

[PA Pete]

If you bought a package with a queen and the queen is laying only drones, call whoever you bought the package from ASAP, explain the situation (and make it clear to them that the other hive is doing fine) and ask them to send you a replacement queen ASAP. They should not charge you for the replacement queen. Might want to charge you for shipping if you had the original package shipped - you can haggle with them over this.

Good luck!

[Bob Nelson]

For the time being I would bounce the bees out in fron of the other hive and set the box on top. If you see the queen give her the hive tool test (haven't seen one queen win yet). Otherwise the drone layer queen or worker will not be allowed into the good queenright colony.

Doing this does 2 things. It capitalizes the bee power from the drone layer. It also gets them back to a healthy queenright state of mind and are more likely accept a new queen.

If you don't get a queen it is taken care of. When you do you basically make a split.

If you don't have any luck with the producer you bought from I have some queen cells ready this week. I even know someone who commutes here from Schuyler every day. Bob Nelson

[size="1"][ May 14, 2006, 06:26 PM: Message edited by: Bob Nelson ][/size]

[Area051]

sorry, could you explain this to me in a little more detial, i take the bees from hive 2 and dump them in hive 1 and put hive 2 on top of hive 1???

[Michael Bush]

>sorry, could you explain this to me in a little more detial, i take the bees from hive 2 and dump them in hive 1 and put hive 2 on top of hive 1???

No, what he is saying is, take the bees from hive 2 and dump them (shake them or brush them off) in FRONT of hive 1 and then put the box and frames on top of hive 1.

[BedWetter]

Did you get it figured out?? If you still have trouble give me a call. casey7940249