Susan, if the bees are past a certain age, will they really be able to take
care of your new queen? And will they be able to feed and care for new
brood? If you really want to save the hive, and are willing to do extra
work, you could put some sealed brood into the middle of the hive, then
wait for them to hatch. Then put another frame of partially sealed brood in
at the same time as your new queen. Otherwise, you could do as Bill
suggests and combine, to get extra productivity out of one of your other
hives.

Tim Vaughan