So heres what I have, a swarm from last year has just exploded this year. I added another deep and when that was mostly full I added as shallow for honey. As I looked into the hive yesterday (preparing to move it to a new location) it had way to much drone brood in it. In the top deep several frames had tons of drone brood. What is the best way to correct this? My thought was to either buy a queen or kill the current one and let them raise a new one. What would you suggest?
They know what they are doing...preparing for swarm season. I'd just leave them bee.
Scott
"NORMAL" is about 17% of all bees. That is nearly 1 in 5. If you do have an abnormal amount, I would begin replacing the drone frames with new foundation, one at a time. They often make drone comb where it isn't suitable for worker brood. IE: messed up foundation.
My guess here, tho, is Hardwood is right. He usually is.
mine did that last year. every hive. i have never seen so much. never swarmed. never acted out of normal in any other way. had a great honey year. ditto the above. if all else is well, don't worry about it.
There were two frames that were mostly drone. A local beekeeper said that she might be failing. Take her and four frames of the normal brood, honey, and pollen and put in a nuc. Let the original hive make a queen. That way I can be see if she fails of them I can use those frames to boost other hives. I might wait a week and then see what to do but I do not know.
if the queen is still laying lots of worker brood as well you could take those drone frames and make another hive with one deep supper bottom board and hive cover. Shake some worker bees into the hive. Then take most of your drone frames and install them into this hive and put empty frames drawn or undrawn in there place be sure to leave your queen behind. As the drone brood completely hatches out return the frames to the hive you originally took them from why do this ??? It is good varroa management as we all know that varroa like the drone brood more than worker brood. When the frames are capped they will hatch out in the hive that has all the drones in it and not into your main hive plus you will have alot of drones to mate virgin queens :) Just remember that you should keep an eye on that drone hive for excessive varroa and if there is treat it for mites to knock down your mite populations in your bee yards Chris
When using foundationless frames it is not unusual to have 4-5 full frames of drone brood in the spring. Once the initial drone glut is over they usually back fill the drone comb (larger cells) with nectar and go on as normal.
Scott
It's that time of year. Once they are "drone right" they will stop rearing so many.
Thanks everyone for the help. I will want and see.
Was it your swarm or one you picked up? If she is laying good drone and worker definitely don't do her in. Keep the genetics and if good spread them.
A very lop-sided drone to worker brood ratio is what a failing queen will look like. Or just drone brood and no worker for a laying worker.
I am just down the road a ways and as said above, it is time for all those drones. Smack dab in the middle of swarm season and the flow just started.