Closing up weak mini-nucs again after mating?

[match]

I've got 4 or 5 apideas which have mated queens in them - but they are suffering from wasp attacks and are low on numbers.

The weather this weekend is pretty terrible so I don't have time to do the inspections/queen removal/caging & requeening to get the queens into their new homes, and I'm worried that the apideas might not survive until the middle of next week.

I'm thinking that it should be possible to just close them up again, and put them in a cool dark place (with food and water) just like the first few days of getting the queens accepted, then open them up and use the queens when the weather is better.

Just wondering if anyone else has done this, or if it's a bad idea for some reason? I know I could cage the queens with some attendants and have them be ok for up to a week - so this just feels like a 'bigger' version of that.

 

[SDM]

Yes absolutely fine, if I'm not going to my mating apiary for a few days I often bring a bunch of mated queens for requeening hives at the apiaries I'll be visiting. They get shut up and left in the garage for 48hrs no problems.

 

[match]

Yes absolutely fine, if I'm not going to my mating apiary for a few days I often bring a bunch of mated queens for requeening hives at the apiaries I'll be visiting. They get shut up and left in the garage for 48hrs no problems.

Thanks! I assumed it'd be fine (after all they're in due to the rain for the next few days anyway!). I'll get them closed up later and use them next week.

 

[For want of a better word]

Thanks! I assumed it'd be fine (after all they're in due to the rain for the next few days anyway!). I'll get them closed up later and use them next week.

As SDM ..... add some fondant if they are low!

Chons da