Interesting day , trying to think on my feet

[Timbeez]

Done split this morning and took to new apiary, checking x3 hives at apiary, one queen less and very few bees, removed all drawn comb as beyond saving, hive two queen right, rammed, queen looks past her best, however whilst checking found new queen on outside of hive, put in queen clip and went to introduce her back in, only for her to be balled and met with aggressive behaviour, trying to kill her, removed her immediately, on checking hive 3 which was a split on the 16th several EQC all sealed, removed all QC and offered new queen in cage with fondant accepted straight way, left for 4 hours ladies eaten into cage and looking after her, the EQC I removed I put into days split not sure whether I did right or wrong, just tried dealing with situation at hand, was I right moving queen and trying to recycle EQC

 

[jeff33]

Usually finding a queen on the floor means that the beekeeper has either dropped her during inspection or she has been seen out by the hive for passing her sale by date. Unless you know which is which, you may have introduced a duff queen to your nuc.

In the past, I have had a queen too fat to fly off with the swarm and when I put her back in her hive, she was balled.

 

[enrico]

Usually finding a queen on the floor means that the beekeeper has either dropped her during inspection or she has been seen out by the hive for passing her sale by date. Unless you know which is which, you may have introduced a duff queen to your nuc.

In the past, I have had a queen too fat to fly off with the swarm and when I put her back in her hive, she was balled.

but you made reasonable decisions on the spur of the moment and you can but see what happens. Well done

 

[Timbeez]

Usually finding a queen on the floor means that the beekeeper has either dropped her during inspection or she has been seen out by the hive for passing her sale by date. Unless you know which is which, you may have introduced a duff queen to your nuc.

In the past, I have had a queen too fat to fly off with the swarm and when I put her back in her hive, she was balled.

Thanks J, old queen was still in there marked yellow, new queen either escaped for own safety or ousted by hive, on outside of brood box, may of been on maiden flight got lost ( doubt it) see pic attached, whether or not she will be mated, doesn’t looked mated yet, will just be a waiting game, I will keep eye on old hive for any QC

 

[jeff33]

Thanks J, old queen was still in there marked yellow, new queen either escaped for own safety or ousted by hive, on outside of brood box, may of been on maiden flight got lost ( doubt it) see pic attached, whether or not she will be mated, doesn’t looked mated yet, will just be a waiting game, I will keep eye on old hive for any QC

You can only wait and see, at least she was accepted in a nuc.

 

[Swarm]

Thanks J, old queen was still in there marked yellow, new queen either escaped for own safety or ousted by hive, on outside of brood box, may of been on maiden flight got lost ( doubt it) see pic attached, whether or not she will be mated, doesn’t looked mated yet, will just be a waiting game, I will keep eye on old hive for any QC

Sounds like she is a virgin on a return flight and maybe blown a bit off course?

 

[jeff33]

Sounds like she is a virgin on a return flight and maybe blown a bit off course?

If she is a virgin she will more than likely fly back to her original hive. I would keep an eye in the nuc over the next few days.

 

[Timbeez]

If she is a virgin she will more than likely fly back to her original hive. I would keep an eye in the nuc over the next few days.

Going back Monday giving them 5 days

 

[Timbeez]

If she is a virgin she will more than likely fly back to her original hive. I would keep an eye in the nuc over the next few days.

Hi J, little update, queen still in hive looks bigger queen cells I put in nuc torn down, however x5 EQC, removed 3 with a 50/50 never had the confidence to take 4 down Old queen still going well in hive3

 

[jeff33]

Hi J, little update, queen still in hive looks bigger queen cells I put in nuc torn down, however x5 EQC, removed 3 with a 50/50 never had the confidence to take 4 down Old queen still going well in hive3

Thanks for the update, sounds promising, good skills.