Hi all. Had one hive approx 2 1/2 weeks ago. Had a swarm out of this hive which I caught along with queen. Rehoused in new hive. Now have two. Still no eggs in new hive so assume new queen will be producing brood soon.
Hold on, one of us is confused... !
Me or you?
The bees that you caught are now in the new hive?
They
should have the
old queen.
Why do you assume this is a
new queen? (And what are you assuming happened to the old queen?)
What did the new hive have? A full set of brood frames with new foundation?
Have you been feeding the bees that you caught?
They are the ones that need food - and LOTS of it!
Original hive that swarm came from is really really aggresive. I dont know if there is a queen in there or not and was advised to leave alone for 4 weeks and feed which I have done so far. Went down today to check syrup levels and none left. Bees took down 4 kg 1:1 sugar syrup in 3 days.
The bees that stayed home and didn't swarm
should not need feeding.
As you say later, they actually need some
empty comb so
their new Queen would have a place to lay some eggs.
Feeding isn't going to help them if your weather has actually been good.
While I was there and every time since swarm these bees just want to kill me. I cant go near them. Every time I do I get stung. stinging through suit, gauntlet canvas, even got stung in finger through my leather gloves. they are all over my arms and mesh veil and follow me 100 m to house. I cant take suit off for about 20 mins after being at hive.
They sound very feisty!
Might well be queenless ...
You haven't told us anything about Queen Cells you have seen, or what you've done about them and when.
It could be other things. Leather gloves carry sting pheromones, so the smell of old stings could be winding them up. Same goes for the suit and veil. A good wash is called for after every stinging session (if not before).
Something you might try for the gloves (apart from cheapie disposable vinyl gloves over them) is the odd drop of oil of cloves to perfume them. Conventionally dropped onto a bit of cloth (thereafter kept in a jamjar or somesuch) and the gloves wiped with the cloth to make "dentists hands".
I even wonder if the lot from the new hive might have been robbing their old hive - especially since you have mentioned feeding the original hive but not mentioned feeding the swarm. The swarm bees could be passive (and not brooding) because they are starving. And their attempts at robbing would certainly get the other hive very agitated.
Reducing the entrance on the bad girls hive should make it easier for them to defend - improving their security improves their temper.
And feeding the swarm would reduce their need to go out robbing.
... I tried to do an inspection today to see if there was a queen but only removed three frames, acquired 5 stings so put everything back and retreated. ...
And what did you see on those frames?
I wonder if an "inspection cloth" might help keep the bees quieter?
The bees you caught (the swarm) should have the old queen.
And, in good weather, with plenty food, she should resume laying almost as soon as there is a bit of comb for her to use.
Feeding her troops will help them to build new comb on the foundation. Lots of it and quickly. So Queenie can get to work promptly.
Once she is going, then you have the prospect of a test frame for the spawn of the devil to play with.
