help please, queen introduction

[daniellejeynes]

Hello.

I think my hives swarmed as I have very little bees. I have ordered a new queen to coma before 1pm tomorrow but I am worried that I don't have enough bees in the colony to sustain her.

Thank you

 

[BCBEE]

HI Danielle
If you only have a small number of bees then they may have swarmed several times.
If they did this normally they should have left a virgin queen in there already or ready to emerge in about 9 days) i would have though. I am assuming that you have checked and cant find here. If not are there any empty queen cells in the hive or any capped ones.
You need to make sure there is no queen in there or likely to be one before you introduce a new one.

where in west mids are you

Phill

 

[oliver90owner]

Phill,

If they did this normally they should have left a virgin queen in there already or ready to emerge in about 9 days) i would have though. (My underlining)

Not true. Care to have a rethink?

 

[daniellejeynes]

Hi Phill, thank you for your advice. I can't find any sign of a queen or queen cells. I am concerned that the few bees left behind (under 100 this afternoon but declining quickly less than half that this evening) will not be able to sustain her until a new brood is hatched.

thanks again

I'm in Walsall by the way

 

[Juststarting]

Hi Phill, thank you for your advice. I can't find any sign of a queen or queen cells. I am concerned that the few bees left behind (under 100 this afternoon but declining quickly less than half that this evening) will not be able to sustain her until a new brood is hatched.

thanks again

I'm in Walsall by the way

Danielle, I am concerned that you have said you are down to less than 100 bees. I would doubt that this will be sustainable.

Is your other hive also so low in bees and is it also queenless?

 

[REDWOOD]

If a colony has gone down to 100 bees there is something wrong, have you seen any QC over the last few inspections or this year, when did the bees swarm dates would help, is there any sign of disease, 100 bees are not enough to look after the brood. Reunite whats left would be a better option and make up a nuc for your new queen

 

[Bates]

100 bees arent viable, I'd just unite the remainder and try and see if anyone else would like your queen (or make a nuc) as it will only die otherwise.

 

[daniellejeynes]

thanks for the advice, I guessed it would be too few. I'll have to see if I can get some extra workers, is this possible?

 

[daniellejeynes]

thanks for the advice, I'd really like to try and restart the colony with this new queen, is it possible to add workers from another hive?

 

[REDWOOD]

thanks for the advice, I guessed it would be too few. I'll have to see if I can get some extra workers, is this possible?

Young bees you need to look after the brood, I would make a nuc from your other hive for your new queen and unite the Q- hive

 

[daniellejeynes]

thanks for the great advice. The bees must have swarmed while we were on holiday 2 weeks ago.

 

[daniellejeynes]

ok great I'll give it a go

 

[susbees]

What is the state of the stronger hive - frames of brood? Queen? Stores? Varroa status?

Are you on a swarm list? Plenty swarms still around here (west of you here).