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Offline Jen

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Drone Heavy Hive
« on: July 21, 2019, 04:28:57 pm »
This is a case of "The cobblers children have no shoes." A beekeeper's hives get a little neglected because she out mentoring everyone else's hives. Drat! and Double Drat!

I have forgotten what to do with a hive that is 80% drones.

Do I bang them out onto the lawn? Will the drones fly back into the hive box? or should I remove the stack completely?
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Drone Heavy Hive
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2019, 06:34:06 pm »
You are probably right about a shake out, but have you looked for signs of a queen?  Multiple eggs in comb cells?  Eggs attached to the sides of the cell instead of in the bottom?  No signs of worker cells?

When doing a shake out, the drones will probably go where a hive will allow them in.  They do that anyway.  Bunch of free loaders!  :laugh:  The laying worker hopefully is unable to make her way back to the hive or another hive.
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Offline tecumseh

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Re: Drone Heavy Hive
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2019, 06:34:32 pm »
sounds like a failing queen and I normally knock any bees out a good distance from any hive and then stack the boxes on a populated hive... the bees (workers and drones) alway seem to find a new home..
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Offline iddee

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Re: Drone Heavy Hive
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2019, 08:52:04 pm »
Like Tec says, shake out and put the equipment where they can't get to it. Either on healthy hives or in storage.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Drone Heavy Hive
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2019, 09:57:14 pm »
Baker, the stack is two mediums, plus one super which is half filled with nectar and some capped honey. There is a lot of bees in there! but 80% drones. There is no evidence of any eggs from working layers, it's past that phase, all drones have hatched. A month ago-ish it was a bustling hive. We've been taking care of my failing father in law, and time simply got away from me. But my three other hives are doing well.

Tech, I have done the shake out on my lawn before when it's been older worker bees, but this is a lot of drones going into three other hives, and they are going to eat them out of house and home. We are just coming out of our usual summer dearth and the new rush of nectar is on its way. Not a good time for a load of drones that will gobble it down.

Iddee, I always appreciate your 'to the point' instruction  ;) 8)

I think I will take this hive a half mile up the road and knock them out there, I live on the edge of the city and we have more backyard beeks around than ever before. I'm thinking that the drones will spread out and knock on some other doors.

Thanks guys!

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