Bees attacking a young queen?

[BeeBo]

Did an AS 3 and a half weeks ago. Have inspected the new brood box(supposed to have the old queen in) three times over the last 5 days and have seen no queen or evidence of there having been one for at least 20 plus days ( I.e, no eggs larvae or sealed brood).

I was about to add a swarm collected 2 days ago (prime swarm from another of my hives) when I spotted what could have been a young queen being attacked by 6 + worker bees. Why would that happen if there was no other queen in the hive?

I'm going to have another look later this afternoon to see if this young queen(?) has been killed and if she has do you think it's safe to add the swarm? There are very few bees in this hive - covering three brood frames at most.

 

[Davelin]

3 inspections in 5 days is a bit excessive and may have done more harm than good.

If it were me I would put swarm separately for the time being and leave for a bit longer, especially if you think you saw a queen.

If no brood in a couple of weeks then combine.

If you combine using newspaper method rather than just chucking swarm in, then if there was a queen there they will probably fight til one survives.

 

[REDWOOD]

If the bees were attacking her they would have stung her to death or mutilated her and kicked her out by now,

 

[BeeBo]

If you combine using newspaper method rather than just chucking swarm in, then if there was a queen there they will probably fight til one survives.

Yes, sorry. What I didn't say is the reason I want to put the swarm in the hive is because it's currently in a nuc which is too small. Is chucking them in the only way I can transfer them from a nuc? (Paynes poly)

 

[Skyhook]

When the workers think a virgin is due to go on mating flights, they can harrass her until she leaves the hive. Could that be what you saw?

If you are out of boxes then you may have to combine and let them get on with it.

You say the bees are only on 3 frames. If you do combine, remove the other frames, push these 3 up to one end, then put newspaper over and against and add the rest of the frames and the swarm over/against the paper. Not ideal, but better than nothing.


.