[Lutske]

I inspected a new package today (1st time in 5 weeks, except to remove queen cage). We've had some wild weather, so I haven't opened the hive. Looks queenless: no eggs, some spotty brood at various stages, looks like a lot of drones.

Can I just put a frame of brood from my second hive (a 2nd year bunch looking good) and expect the bees to raise a new queen?

Or should I rush to buy one?

 

[no1cowboy]

Yes if you have a frame with 3 day old or less eggs on it, you can put it in the other hive, if they are queenless the will make a new one.

 

[ccar2000]

You should realize it takes up to a month for the queen to be raised, mated and ready to lay. Meanwhile you colony population will be dropping unless you keep adding broodframes. If you buy a queen you should be good to go within a week!

 

[Lutske]

I think it will be wiser, now that I've thought for a couple of days, to just combine the new pkg (weak hive) with my strong one from last year. I don't think I was ever meant to have more than 2 hives. I had to combine hives last year, too.

 

[Freon11]

I would spend the money and get a new Queen , you will save a month

 

[alpha6]

Stronger hive will make more honey so it's not a bad decision. Once we finish splits anything that doesn't take and doesn't raise it's own queen gets combined.