mammapajama Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Please help! I am a newbee and have been muddling my way through this business and last night I think I really did it. I had a new hive this spring which swarmed. Caught the swarm and started new hive which is doing well. Waited for the old hive to hatch a new queen, but a month later there was no sign of new eggs. I prepared to to combine the two hives, then a week ago saw a ton of eggs! Inspection yesterday proved them to be almost all drones. I assumed it was a laying worker, but there were two supersedure cells. On the spot, I decided to combine them anyway, and removed the frames with drones and queen cells (so as not to burden the good colony with excess of drones), leaving the honey and new foundation. Last night I combined them with newspaper, but forgot to slice holes in the paper! I also left only about 4 frames filled 50% with honey. Now the top brood super is trapped, the bottom free to go and agitated. I am agonizing about several things. I now realize I must have had a drone laying queen. I already doomed the two supersedure cells figuring the week hive had been without a queen long enough that they really needed to be combined. So... 1) How big of a problem is it that I didn't slice holes? Are they going to bake in the heat of the day? Will they be killed when the break through the paper b/c I didn't slice holes? 2) My good queen is now going to have to fight another queen! What are the chances that she'll make it! 3) I didn't feed trapped super thinking their honey would be enough until they chewed through, but now I don't know. 4) Do I traumatize them further by going back in and correcting any of the mistakes I've already made?? Thank you for your advice!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 They will chew through the newspaper without holes, but not as quickly. You may have time. If it was me I'd go back in asap and find that DLQ and squash her. The two queens will fight to the death sometimes leaving the victor damaged. Knowing my luck it would be the duff queen that won. I'd go in this morning. I would also clear the supers and remove them while uniting. Go on a course this winter and read all the books you can find, join your local BKA and get a mentor. I've re read your post Are you calling your brood box a brood super? Your uniting configuration should be Floor Queen+ brood box Newspaper Queen- (except in your case not) brood box Crownboard Roof PS If you have an open floor have a look under for newspaper shreds. If there are you're too late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
