Colony survival

[extremereading]

A queen absconded [with half the bees] v. late in August. There are now 2 Q-cells in the hive, but at this time of the year what chance does a new queen have of mating and establishing herself?

Would it be better to unite with another colony?

 

[madasafish]

If the queen does mate - and that depends on the weather and where you live as parts of S England are quite warm and balmy still vs those of up North with 13C and rain...- she may be ok.. but it will be some 30+/- a few days before any workers emerge from eggs laid after mating...

SO your colony - if small - may shrink in the wait and become unviable..

So : where are you?
How many frames of bees in the nuc.?
How long Q-?

(I have overwintered 1 frame of bees in a polynuc ,, but that was with a properly mated queen and regular attention...I don't recommend it as it took 12 months to become a full colony - so a season lost...).

 

[Erichalfbee]

If it were a supesedure I would let them get on with it
Your colony swarmed, however, so I would unite them if they were mine

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

A queen absconded [with half the bees] v. late in August.

They swarmed - you can take the risk and hope the new queen mates, but I would just tear down the QC's and unite

 

[extremereading]

Located in Yorkshire on the edge of the Pennines. There were 6 frames of capped brood left behind and bees busy on 10 of the brood frames; it was a reasonably strong colony for numbers before she swarmed.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Same reply - unite

 

[madasafish]

Located in Yorkshire on the edge of the Pennines. There were 6 frames of capped brood left behind and bees busy on 10 of the brood frames; it was a reasonably strong colony for numbers before she swarmed.

I would unite.