Bees struggling to get through qx entrance to poly nuc

[E&MBees]

I managed to catch a usurpation mid progress today and prevent the queens from meeting and fighting to the bitter death. The visiting queen was put in a nuc and the entrance dial positioned with the qx over the hole.

However, the worker bees did not seem able to climb through the gaps and into the nuc. They did seem very tired / lethargic, as though they had swarmed a fare few days ago and run out of supplies. Could this be the reason? It's a poly nuc made by Maises, sold by Simon The Beekeeper.

In the end, I caged the queen and opened the entrance up wide. They are slowly going in.

Any suggestions?
Thanks, Emily

 

[pargyle]

I managed to catch a usurpation mid progress today and prevent the queens from meeting and fighting to the bitter death. The visiting queen was put in a nuc and the entrance dial positioned with the qx over the hole.

However, the worker bees did not seem able to climb through the gaps and into the nuc. They did seem very tired / lethargic, as though they had swarmed a fare few days ago and run out of supplies. Could this be the reason? It's a poly nuc made by Maises, sold by Simon The Beekeeper.

In the end, I caged the queen and opened the entrance up wide. They are slowly going in.

Any suggestions?
Thanks, Emily

Don't use the queen excluder part of the disc ... I've had bees struggle with the one on my Payne's Poly nucs. It's a bit of a fallacy that locking the queen in will prevent them absconding.

I think, looking at your other posts, events have rather overtaken this situation anyway ?

 

[E&MBees]

Don't use the queen excluder part of the disc ... I've had bees struggle with the one on my Payne's Poly nucs. It's a bit of a fallacy that locking the queen in will prevent them absconding.

I think, looking at your other posts, events have rather overtaken this situation anyway ?

I think you are probably right.

I didn't see them arrive, only noticed the extra activity later in the afternoon. It was interesting hearing the queens piping to each other though. Glad that I managed to separate them, so I didn't potentially loose the black queen.

What do I do with the queen that arrived today? She has a blue mark, so theoretically is a 2020 queen. At last count, she was very much alive! Is it worth trying to make up a nuc with her, given that I know nothing about her or whether she will survive. I don't want to weaken my good colony, which is building up nicely.

Thanks.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

When Maisie's first started selling their poly nucs, the first batch of entrances they had were faulty and would not let workers through the QX setting - maybe these are the same.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think you are probably right.

I didn't see them arrive, only noticed the extra activity later in the afternoon. It was interesting hearing the queens piping to each other though. Glad that I managed to separate them, so I didn't potentially loose the black queen.

What do I do with the queen that arrived today? She has a blue mark, so theoretically is a 2020 queen. At last count, she was very much alive! Is it worth trying to make up a nuc with her, given that I know nothing about her or whether she will survive. I don't want to weaken my good colony, which is building up nicely.

Thanks.

Elaine.
Re my reply on another thread.
You need only one frame of brood, one of stores a drawn frame and extra bees.
It’s worth trying.
I saved this swarm. What you see us all there was
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hed63x29y47rl3y/Video garden swarm.mp4?dl=0

 

[E&MBees]

Elaine.
Re my reply on another thread.
You need only one frame of brood, one of stores a drawn frame and extra bees.
It’s worth trying.
I saved this swarm. What you see us all there was
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hed63x29y47rl3y/Video garden swarm.mp4?dl=0

That looks about the same quantity as I have got Dani. I'll have another look tomorrow.

Thanks,
Emily

 

[Erichalfbee]

If you can’t do anything put a few attendants in with her and offer her to somebody in your BKA.
I’ve just opened a nuc where I introduced a new queen in the 2Oth to find her gone so you never know. Somebody might be desperate for a queen.

 

[E&MBees]

If you can’t do anything put a few attendants in with her and offer her to somebody in your BKA.
I’ve just opened a nuc where I introduced a new queen in the 2Oth to find her gone so you never know. Somebody might be desperate for a queen.

That was what I was thinking this morning. Having had so many problems this year, I have finally got a colony which is building up well and thriving. I don't want to upset the balance. Had I had an additional colony, I would have given it a go. Ill send message to my BKA this morning.

Thanks,
Emily