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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Tim Arheit <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 1 Jul 2002 10:03:09 -0400
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At 11:45 AM 7/1/02 +0100, you wrote:
>I requeened it and put in some frames of brood, but there is
>no sign of new worker brood or eggs and I can't see the queen.

They probably simply didn't except the queen.  Queen introduction is simply
less successful in large colonies, colonies with more older bees (which you
probably have),  etc.

>  My plan is to move the hive containing this swarm to the site of the old
> hive, move
>the old colony ½ mile away and shake off the bees so that they fly back to
>the new hive, leaving the drone laying workers.

Drone laying workers can fly.  They even have been observed laying eggs
between foraging runs.  I've personally observed a laying working in a
perfectly
healthy new colony with a new queen, good brood pattern, etc.  So my personal
opinion, though many books say the opposite, is that shaking out all the
workers
is a big waste of time, and you will likely loose the young workers which make
queen introduction easier and which will be vital in keeping the colony
alive in
several weeks time when all the older workers have died.

I personally would try requeening again, adding some eggs and brood from the
other colony, or simply combining the two.  Which one would depend on
availability of a queen, brood, strength of the hive (has it already
dwindled too far)

-Tim

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