Rick,
 
The next time you take a feral hive, prepare some wired frames without
foundation.  As you cut off the brood arrange it on the frame and when you
have a full frame of brood loop a length of string 5 or 6 times around and
pull to hold it firm. I usually tie one end tand then do a rough knot (my
hands are generally sticky by then). This can then go into your hive box and
the brood will develop.  The frame will have to be rotated gradually to the
outside and removed for melting down.  I think the brood lying in the bottom
of your hive is a lost cause but if you have drawn frames the queen will
move to these to lay.  There is no point in salvaging honeycomb for frames -
if you lay this on top of the frames under the lid the house bees will
transfer it.
 
At this stage if the bees are still altogether, provide frames for the hive
to use.  The old brood can be discarded. Anything that is viable will
probably have hatched by now.
 
With food and shelter  a hive can recover from set-backs and replace their
losses very quickly.  It is important to give the queen maximum good drawn
frames/foundation to avoid wasted space.
 
Betty McAdam
 
HOG BAY APIARY
Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island
j.h. & e. mcadam<[log in to unmask]
http://kigateway.eastend.com.au/hogbay/hogbay1.htm