Re-Queening Questions

[rsteffens]

Hello everyone,

After doing a hive inspection yesterday, it appears that one of my hives is either queenless or has a defunct queen.  This must have been going on for quite some time, because I have noticed that this hive has been rather weak for about 1.5 months.  There is very little brood in the hive, and there aren't a lot of bees either.  This is my first year, so I don't know exactly what I should do.  Should I requeen, or should I combine this hive with a stronger one?  I could take a tray or two of brood from one of my three other hives and add it to this weak one, but there may not be enough bees to take care of much brood.

Thanks,
Randy

[doak]

One way to find the queen is to take an empty box with bottom board and frames with drawn out
comb. Put an ex-cluder on and then another  deep box on with out any frames.
Now take the frames one by one and shake the bees off into the empty box.
The bees will go down into the bottom box, except the queen, and what drones are left.
If there is a queen she will be clustered with a few workers above the ex cluder.
If you don't find a queen then combine with a stronger colony.
Do not combine with another weak one, you are only creating a larger weak colony.
doak

[Michael Bush]

It's doubtful they will build up this time of year.

[doak]

M.B. Is correct. Even if a queen is found it would be best to rub her out and combine anyhow.
I know, some will say I can't do that to the queen. If so then you have to suffer the outcome.
doak

[rsteffens]

Thanks a lot guys.  I'm going to combine the hives.

Randy