New queen dead - maybe just combine hives?

[greenbtree]

Well, checked queen in really small queenless hive that I installed Sunday, and she is dead. :'( (Deep breath, it happens, it happens, it happens...)  The bees had ALMOST gotten through the candy.  At this point I am thinking maybe I should cut my losses and combine this hive with one of the two splits that I made.  This hive is now down to a frame and a half of bees, and that not full.  Do I just put this hives deep on top of the splits deep with one sheet of newspaper between? Two sheets?   Which hive would be a better bet - the split with the old queen that I moved, or the split with the swarm cells that I left in the original location?  The split was done last Friday, is it too soon to be messing with them further?  Should I now just write off this small queenless hive and let them go quietly into that good night? :idunno:

JC

[D Coates]

I'd combine outright.  The queenless hive is so small and has been without a queen so long they are itching for things to improve.  Plop the queenless hive on top and walk away, I wouldn't worry with newspaper from what you describe.

[greenbtree]

So the bees in the hive that I'm adding TO won't object to the newcomers?  I agree that the queenless hive is pretty desperate at this point - they buzzed very angrily when I took the cage with the dead queen out.  They didn't do that when I put her IN.  (Girls, she's DEAD!  We don't care! We want her anyway!)

JC

[greenbtree]

Left the hive for a couple of days to settle down then combined them today.  Half an hour later bees were being summarily executed and thrown out of the front of the hive.  Oh well, maybe the little bit of capped brood that was left won't go to waste at least.

JC

[Kathyp]

newspaper is always a good idea.  there is no harm in it and it gives them time to blend.  as you say, all is not lost.  you learned a few things.  it's all good.