What choices for a queenless hive....

Stone · September 20, 2011, 03:22:23 PM

do I have at my location and at this time of year? I'm working on getting a mated queen introduced. But is there another action I can take that would better assure the colony would make it until spring? What has been your experience?

There is no brood. No laying workers. Bee Boost has been put in to keep them content until the new queen arrives. There are plenty of stores. I'd love to hear your ideas.

Robo · September 20, 2011, 03:39:00 PM

I wish I had good ideas for you. This time of year, without brood, I don't believe there is any other hope than combining. Other than I guess stealing brood from other hives, which I wouldn't suggest.

organicfarmer · September 20, 2011, 04:00:56 PM

If you are waiting for a mated queen and the hive has plenty of store, introduce her as soon as she arrives. Combining is the other solution i would use.
i recently had a queenless hive and a nuc to add to it. It is now doing very well, cranking up for winter prep and reorganizing its stores.
Good luck,

Stone · September 20, 2011, 04:38:52 PM

Thanks for your advice, guys. The same was going through my mind. I've got about three mediums of bees. Would combining one box on each of three other colonies work? Newspaper method? All my other colonies are rockin'. What problems should I look out for?

24 hours post Bee Boost work out?

By the way, I believe this queenlessness was in some way a result of a combination I did two weeks ago.

FRAMEshift · September 20, 2011, 04:54:05 PM

Quote from: Stone on September 20, 2011, 04:38:52 PM
I've got about three mediums of bees. Would combining one box on each of three other colonies work? Newspaper method? All my other colonies are rockin'. What problems should I look out for?

Yes you could just add the mediums to other hives. I don't think you need newspaper for just a medium of bees that already know they don't have a queen. I spray the bees in both hives with dilute vanilla extract to mask queen scent, but even that may not be necessary here.

Finski · September 20, 2011, 05:35:07 PM

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If you get a laying queen, it needs only one week to lay enough winter bees.
It debend s do bees get in your place pollen from flowers.

Stone · September 20, 2011, 05:53:35 PM

Finski,

What you say is encouraging. They have a good amount of honey and I have extra honey to feed them if they need it. We haven't had a frost yet and the asters are in bloom. I'm not that educated about the other blooms in the area but the goldenrod is around too and has been very strong. So there is still a nectar flow but I think it's slowing down. Maybe Robo can help me with this; his bees are not far from mine.

With all of the above and feeding some pollen substitute, what do you all think their chances are?

Finski · September 20, 2011, 06:34:15 PM

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I live here at the level of Anchorage. Normally we do not have brood this time.
Cultivated red clovers are blooming because they have cutted in summer.

Hives have reared their winterbees with the help on pollen stores in the hives.

It is raining almost every day and bees cannot fly. Night temp are 5C and days 15C.

I suppose that your autumn is not far as In Alaska. But I have no idea, what is your summer now.
Here It needs only 10 km and brood situation may be very diffrent from each other.
One hive makes 2 boxes winterbees and another one box.

Winter stores is not a problem. You may feed them with mere syrup.

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