Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Bees In Miami on October 19, 2012, 07:12:09 pm

Title: Combining queenless with laying queen hive...Exclude drones?
Post by: Bees In Miami on October 19, 2012, 07:12:09 pm
Thanks in advance for any assistance...I am about to combine a queenless hive with a small hive with a laying queen and no drones present.  The queenless hive has a very good number of drones.  I was thinking about putting an excluder under the newspaper sheet so the drones won't be able to make the migration to the lower (laying queen hive), and save the step of kicking them out?  Any thoughts/opinions greatly appreciated!!!   Sorry...kinda lept off a cliff into beekeeping this summer with three swarms...doing my best to learn as much and as fast as I can!   :embarassed:  Thanks all!!
Title: Re: Combining queenless with laying queen hive...Exclude drones?
Post by: iddee on October 19, 2012, 07:50:57 pm
It would be a waste of time. If the workers don't want the drones, they will just not feed them. The drones will leave on their own to find a hive that will feed them. Drones don't feed themselves.
Title: Re: Combining queenless with laying queen hive...Exclude drones?
Post by: Bees In Miami on October 19, 2012, 08:08:07 pm
iddee....Seriously???  They don't even FEED themselves???  :shock:  I knew they play a very minimal role in the hive, but you are serious...they don't even feed themselves???   :roll: Actually, that makes me feel a whole lot better from a robbing standpoint.   Thanks once again for your help!   You've been great.   ;)   Hive relo in an hour or so, then the fun will begin tomorrow. 
Title: Re: Combining queenless with laying queen hive...Exclude drones?
Post by: iddee on October 19, 2012, 09:36:39 pm
A drone or a queen may pick a bite or two on their own now and then, but overall, the workers feed them both mouth to mouth.

I've had bees for about 35 years now, and there's still not a day goes by that i don't learn something new about them. They are amazing creatures.
Title: Re: Combining queenless with laying queen hive...Exclude drones?
Post by: Bees In Miami on October 19, 2012, 10:33:59 pm
Like the workers need MORE to do???   No wonder they give all the drones the boot!!   :lau: :lau: :lau:  Thanks again iddee.   I will keep my analogies to the human race to myself at this time...  :-X  :-D   Relocate is complete...combine tomorrow.  Again, my thanks.   :)
Title: Re: Combining queenless with laying queen hive...Exclude drones?
Post by: Michael Bush on October 21, 2012, 04:23:04 pm
>I knew they play a very minimal role in the hive

Actually they play an absolutely essential role in the hive...
Title: Re: Combining queenless with laying queen hive...Exclude drones?
Post by: duck on October 21, 2012, 05:45:19 pm
i just combined three hives, trees that were felled and full of bees.  Smoked the crap outta them, just threw them all together and figure they will sort themselves out!  HAHAHA! 
Title: Re: Combining queenless with laying queen hive...Exclude drones?
Post by: iddee on October 21, 2012, 07:41:48 pm
Duck, the one that was Africanized will win out.  HAHAHA !