I shook the bees on the ground

[annette]

Well, I have another post telling the tales of my laying worker hive. But I wanted to share this experience with you all. I had been trying to save a laying worker hive all summer by giving it frames of open brood until it would make a queen. Well the open brood totally suppressed the laying workers and they were trying to make a queen, but it never panned out to anything. Part of the problem I was having was the population was going down at the same time and I should have been giving them frames of capped brood as well.

The reason I did not give them any frames of capped brood, is the only hive I could take the brood from was finally starting to make some honey and I did not want to decrease the population in my one and only good hive. (I only had 2 other hives)

Well the wax moths got to this hive and I finally had to shake them out onto the ground, which I did on Sunday. The amazing thing that I want to share is, they were totally accepted by my strong hive which sits about 4 feet away. It was unbelievable to see them going into this hive with no fighting going on. I guess the bees know who to invite in.

With this knowledge I have now, I might just shake them out onto the ground right away if it ever happens again.

Take care
Annette

[jimmyo]

did the forager bees go to the new location or the old one?
Jim

[MustbeeNuts]

I just did that with a small weak hive, they didn't have a queen at all , they even killed the new one I introduced, finally in desperation I did the same, just dumped them out and moved frames, I had no foragers looking for more than 20 mins for the old hive they totally went to the strong.

[ElDoBill]

Just what I had to do last May also.  The experienced people around here are telling me there is a noticeable decline in the ability of the local bees to raise their own queens.  I have no way to tell if that's the case being new to this business.

[golddust-twins]

Annette,

You have made a very wise choice.  From everything I have read this choice was the best for your situation.  I believe I will be right behind you in this choice with my laying worker hive.  We shall see in a few days.

          Thanks for posting this experience.......Corinne

[annette]

The nurse bees on the ground went right into the new hive and the foragers did cluster in a large ball at the old site clinging to the hive stand. I was worried when I saw that, but 1/2 hour later most of them found the new hive and went in. By evening time around 5:00PM, they had all gone in. None on the ground.

It was a good experience.

Good luck Corinne.
Mustbeenuts, you had the same problem I had.