Introduced New Queen after Laying Workers - Findings from first inspection and what next?

[Adamski20]

This is an update on my findings following "dealing" with laying workers and introducing a new queen (original thread When to inspect after introducing new queen). Grateful for any advice.

Okay, so just been out to inspect. Here what I think are the key points:

• New queen is still alive but she has not been released from her cage yet (they are almost through the fondant plug but not quite) - cage was introduced 6 days ago
• The bees don't appear to be hostile towards the queen in the cage (they are facing in towards the cage and protruding their proboscis into the cage to lick/feed? the queen) - I'll try and upload a vid to this post
• There is absolutely zero capped worker brood (there has been no worker brood for over a month)
• Lots of capped drone brood.
• There are some cells that contain single eggs/larvae in all stages
• There are some cells that contain multiple eggs/larvae in all stages
• There are a few queen cups (couple empty, couple with multiple eggs but no royal jelly), there is also what looks to be a sealed queen cell
• There is lots of honey/nectar in the brood frames (all over the frames, not just around the edges), may be in danger of getting honey locked?

So, my assessment of these findings are:

• Definitely no other queen in the hive, only the newly introduced queen still in the cage
• There are still laying workers and given the mix of larvae age shaking all the bees out did not stop this even for a short time
• The queen cups/cell are a red herring, these will just be drone eggs from laying workers
• At least some of the bees have accepted the new queen

My questions:

• Is my assessment correct? Any alternative/additional thoughts/assessment of these findings?
• When they do release the queen will she likely survive now she's been in there for 6 days, or will the laying workers most likely still kill her? If the latter is there anything I can do to prevent or reduce the risk of this occurring?
• Should I removed the queen (King) cups/cell?
• What should I do about the potential honey lock situation?
• Any other advice?

 

[Erichalfbee]

If the bees are feeding her then let her out. Take that “QC” down and hold your breath for a week.

 

[magor]

well i ussually introduce Swarm Cells or half sisters Q free run on comb and occasionally push in cage on emerge brood , dont buy Qs so havent use any of these travel cages, dont know much about it but it seems to me 6 days is kinda long period they not free her already, dunno maybe is for the better........anyway would d cut all drone brood combs, whatever if and ve cells or cups,just all brood and drone combs (dont need drones nor such combs and for varroa mangment also) and d release her to the point you have arrived now

good luck and all my wishes as its yor first hive and already ve lost a swarm and couple virgin fails , just be gently(less inspects less smoke) until her first broods emerge and her population be established and keep in mind that for some period you ll continue see drone brood and ''Q''cells so might help her cutt em both

 

[Newbeeneil]

I would put her in a push in cage if it was my hive.

 

[ericbeaumont]

will the laying workers most likely still kill her? If the latter is there anything I can do to prevent or reduce the risk of this occurring?

The push-in cage Neil suggested is less risky, Adam: plastic from Paynes or BeckysBeezzz or metal from Thorne.

Still not too late to order one; a few more days wait won't matter much.

 

[E&MBees]

The push-in cage Neil suggested is less risky, Adam: plastic from Paynes or BeckysBeezzz or metal from Thorne.

Still not too late to order one; a few more days wait won't matter much.

If you have any spare fine mesh, like the stuff used for omf’s, the press in cages are easy to make.

 

[Adamski20]

The push-in cage Neil suggested is less risky, Adam: plastic from Paynes or BeckysBeezzz or metal from Thorne.

Still not too late to order one; a few more days wait won't matter much.

Worth a shot, have ordered one. But I expect they’ll have released her before it arrives, they really were extremely close to having her out already (there was a hole through the plug, just not big enough for a bee to pass through yet).

 

[E&MBees]

Worth a shot, have ordered one. But I expect they’ll have released her before it arrives, they really were extremely close to having her out already (there was a hole through the plug, just not big enough for a bee to pass through yet).

Pop a piece of tape across the bottom. That will slow them down.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I would put her in a push in cage if it was my hive.

Is there any point to a push in cage if there is no emerging worker brood?

 

[Newbeeneil]

Good point, but I still think her pheromones would be distributed better if she could traverse a larger area.

 

[Ian123]

Is there any point to a push in cage if there is no emerging worker brood?

Yes I think just having comb available would bring her into lay or she’d at least have the possibility of coming into lay faster.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes I think just having comb available would bring her into lay or she’d at least have the possibility of coming into lay faster.

Yes I considered that but what about having no bees to tend to the brood?

 

[madasafish]

If you have any spare fine mesh, like the stuff used for omf’s, the press in cages are easy to make.

And MUCH cheaper like a few pence per cage to make..

 

[Adamski20]

Yes I considered that but what about having no bees to tend to the brood?

She has a few attendants in with her. If I could transfer them too would they nurse the brood or is their role going to stay purely attending the queen?

I can see that there might be an advantage of using one of these. Because if the other bees kill her when released from the push in cage, at least she may have laid a few eggs whilst in there so the bees might have a chance at raising a new queen from on of those eggs.

 

[Erichalfbee]

She has a few attendants in with her. If I could transfer them too would they nurse the brood or is their role going to stay purely attending the queen?

Nurse bees need to feed larvae with royal jelly for three days then honey and pollen. I wouldn’t count in six knackered bees doing that.
Eggs will probably be eaten rather than made into queen cells by the resident bees
If your queen is still in the hive I bet they have released her