Is this laying-worker hive doomed, or can I give it a queen?

[TwoHoneys]

Friends, I've discovered that I have a full-blown laying-worker hive.

I also have a number of queens which I could place in the hive...however, the hive is already full of drones and drone brood, and I'm not sure that introducing a queen at this late point will work. Will it? Or should I simply shake the bees out and remove the hive?

In the future, if I catch this in time, is it advisable to 1) introduce a new queen or 2) suppress the laying workers by first introducing a frame of open brood each week for three weeks and THEN giving them a queen.

-Liz

[19rabbit52]

I'm a newbie that just went through this. I shook all my bees out about 100 yards away. Next day introduced new queen. She has been laying for about 10 days now.

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslayingworkers.htm

[TwoHoneys]

Got it, Michael. I'm shaking 'em out and using the comb in other hives.

Thanks, all.

-Liz

[annette]

I'm a newbie that just went through this. I shook all my bees out about 100 yards away. Next day introduced new queen. She has been laying for about 10 days now.

That is great that this worked for you. I use a queen introduction frame that worked for me.

Annette

[annette]

Got it, Michael. I'm shaking 'em out and using the comb in other hives.

Thanks, all.

-Liz

Hi Liz

I used a queen introduction frame that worked like a charm. I got it from Robo here on the bee forum. It is a frame that you place the queen in and it sits in the hive, takes the place of another frame. The bees can feed her through  the frame, but cannot get to her. After about 3 weeks of this frame sitting in the hive, her pheromones take over and suppress the laying workers. Then you just let her out of the cage. It worked for me, but not sure if it always works.

Annette

[sc-bee]

Got it, Michael. I'm shaking 'em out and using the comb in other hives.

Thanks, all.

-Liz

Hi Liz

I used a queen introduction frame that worked like a charm. I got it from Robo here on the bee forum. It is a frame that you place the queen in and it sits in the hive, takes the place of another frame. The bees can feed her through  the frame, but cannot get to her. After about 3 weeks of this frame sitting in the hive, her pheromones take over and suppress the laying workers. Then you just let her out of the cage. It worked for me, but not sure if it always works.

Annette

Seems like staying in a introduction frame for 3 week would suppress her laying ability later? Similar to bought queens staying in a cage too long or banked too long.