Help regarding possible culling of Queen

[Ginger19]

My most productive hive this year was a swarm I had caught last year. Eggs and brood were at very low levels this spring and early summer, quite a concern, so dummied down. Things eventually got going really well and despite the colony never getting massive, they still filled supers faster than other hives. I was taking them off and extracting as required - they filled 4 full supers in all.

Eggs and brood are now down to a smallish patch on a couple of frames and it seems again that Queen is slowing to a concerning rate. Considering she is perhaps 4 y.o I am aware that I should be considering knobbling her, but I have my reservations from how things panned out earlier. I have another hive next to it with first year Q that would be ideal to unite.
What would you do? I don't mind being ruthless, although I had hoped for supercedure but there is no evidence of this. Help!

 

[Bosleeu]

You would be lucky if you get a replacement queen mated this side of Winter. I wouldn't cull her now, unless you want to unite. Cross your fingers and replace her in Spring otherwise.

 

[Tom Bick]

How strong are both hives? Would the hive with the new queen benefit from combining? You don't know how old the queen Is and four years is a guess and she may be in her prime.
At this time of year providing both hives are reasonably strong best to overwinter both and then depending how you stand in the spring decide what to do then.

 

[Ginger19]

Thanks for the input, hive with suspect queen has 6 or 7 frames of bees but diminishing!
Hive I am looking to unite was a swarm that was caught in July but Queen went missing, building up nicely but only covering 5 or 6 frames.

Yes it is a just a guess on her age, although she could have been 3 when she swarmed... The year I caught this swarm she went hell for leather and had everything laid up in no time, she was laying well into October. I think that was her in her prime and she is now in decline, but I am open to opinions!
Cheers

 

[Tom Bick]

In that case combining would give you a nice strong hive going into the winter.

 

[Bosleeu]

As per the usual advice IF you decide to combine make SURE you find the suspect queen and kill her.

 

[enrico]

Leave her be! They will replace her if they are not happy with her next year! That's what I do anyway! You say she has been good this year. My best hive never lays on more the seven frames, they don't build wax well, they have the least amount of bees in my apiary, they supersede when necessary but give me five supers a year without fail on generally crap forage!

 

[Ginger19]

I guess that was the post I was waiting for Enrico! Although the commercial beek would surely go down the other road mentioned.
I think on this occasion I will leave them be, let Mother Nature and the bees decide and hopefully learn from the decision. Will add some outside insulation after Oxalic is applied at New Year, this helped a struggling hive kick off massively last year.
Strange how you can get attached to a swarm - especially when they are good natured!!