# Big hive removal in December. Queen didnt make it. Now what?



## OBG (Jun 16, 2013)

Did a removal last week from a carriage house bathroom wall. Bees had been there at least a year from the size of the stores and length of comb. Brood was attached to the back of the fiberglass shower I ended up having to cut through and two sections fell to the bottom plate in the wall, killing the queen. Very little brood as the colony was in a break, but I saved most of it. Bees are building queen cells like mad in the hive body now, but no drones around for mating. I think I know what to do, but want verification...newspaper combine with another hive? I don't want to put a strain (probably 4-5# of bees) on the receiving hive winter stores, but...what else can I do in South Carolina?


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Contact Kona Queens in Hawaii, they might have queens available now, not sure...
http://www.konaqueen.com/order.html


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## OBG (Jun 16, 2013)

RayMarler said:


> Contact Kona Queens in Hawaii, they might have queens available now, not sure...
> http://www.konaqueen.com/order.html


Thank you sir


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

You are quite welcome, hope they still have some available for you


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## Laredrone (Dec 1, 2015)

i had a similar case. i got a hive from a late November removal and no queen found. they built queen cells but they were empty. then they had an infestation of little beetle larva and they absconded. i got lucky and i found the absconded bees and i put them in a nuc box with plastic wax foundation. they seem to be working and i ordered a queen from ohbees.com they do have queens available all year round from Hawaii or Cali. good luck


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## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

A tally for why not to do removals past a certain date? Some colonies do carry drones into winter, but I realize that you do not want to chance this. Not sure I would risk another colony by combining this late.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

Hope you got paid for your troubles.


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