failing colony

[Bitbybit]

I split my hive to try and prevent a swarm - half the hive was brought to a friends. The other half, that remained, swarmed anyway ( I now know what I did wrong) I have brought back the other half and they are going well. What remained of the other half had QCs so I left them to get on with it but it hasn't worked out for them. When I checked today there is one capped QC which has been there for weeks, no brood or eggs. There were bees fighting at the entrance and wasps in the hive so they are also under attack. I reduced the entrance but fear they are doomed. I could take them to my friends place, maybe as a nuc and buy in a queen. Take a frame of eggs from the other hive and hope they manage to produce a new queen (seems a bit late for this) or reunite the hives. Please advise on best course of action or other ideas.

 

[oliver90owner]

Wasps getting access to the hive is bad news; they will destroy the colony and rob everything.

Your colony is only a quarter of what it should have been?

I've no idea whether you left only the one queen cell or what, but that one is certainly is not viable - but she may have emeged ad the cell has been closed afterwards.

What to do? I would be uniting to the stronger colony and making sure wasps could not access that one.

 

[enrico]

I agree totally with RAB, unite for strength!
E

 

[Bitbybit]

Thanks for the advice. This will be my first time uniting colonies, any advice?

 

[sandysman]

Wasps getting access to the hive is bad news; they will destroy the colony and rob everything.

Your colony is only a quarter of what it should have been?

I've no idea whether you left only the one queen cell or what, but that one is certainly is not viable - but she may have emeged ad the cell has been closed afterwards.

What to do? I would be uniting to the stronger colony and making sure wasps could not access that one.

 

[enrico]

Thanks for the advice. This will be my first time uniting colonies, any advice?

Make sure only one has a queen, keep the queen right colony on her own site ( although not critical) put sheet of newspaper on top of bb that reaches all walls ( telegraph size! ) put other bb on top, check after 24 hours that newspaper bits being thrown out front. If not, and it is very hot, put a clean small cut in paper.
Bobs your uncle!
E

 

[ichbinpaul]

Make sure only one has a queen, keep the queen right colony on her own site ( although not critical) put sheet of newspaper on top of bb that reaches all walls ( telegraph size! ) put other bb on top, check after 24 hours that newspaper bits being thrown out front. If not, and it is very hot, put a clean small cut in paper.
Bobs your uncle!
E

By the time they have read it all they will be friends again!.

 

[enrico]

By the time they have read it all they will be friends again!.

 

[Bitbybit]

By the time they have read it all they will be friends again!.

I better not choose an Irish paper it'll just make them depressed

 

[Tom Bick]

Probably not that relevant given your description but when did you do the split.

 

[Bitbybit]

24th of May

 

[Tom Bick]

Thanks over two months and more than enough time before intervention. Yes as with others unite but as I am often cautious I would still do a test frame first to see if they try to produce a QC not to let them raise a queen but to confirm Q- or as its been so long will they do that?

 

[Bitbybit]

I would love to be absolutely sure it is Q- (with my luck the duff queen would win) and did intend to take a very good look before uniting. How long would they take to start a QC? as I also have the wasp problem and the robbing to consider, time is not on their side