laying worker merger issue

[Cuckmere couple]

i was pretty sure a failed re-queening had resulted in LWs - chosen QC was brown mush, multiple eggs in cells, on side of cells, frequent Q/King cells being started

so

i moved a strong nuc colony (brood on 6 frames inc outside of outer frames) alongside it for a few days but into a hive. Then shook out the LW colony 100 yards or so away

I now have a clump of bees under OMF of the decent colony, so maybe there was some sort of poorly mated queen in there whihc got back and wasnt allowed in

ive tried pushing them through a QE into a spare box to find her but no success and back under OMF of good colony

what to do? advice gratefully received.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Move hive aside change the floor. Put the inspection tray in shake the old floor out. You don’t have to go 100 yards away. 10 will do. After all your laying workers do fly.

 

[Curly green finger's]

In much the same situation with one colony, I've done what dani has suggested on two occasions still no queen found so I've added a frame with a small patch of eggs to see what happens, colony haven't gone that far as to seeing multiple eggs in cells but I did see a worker laying eggs right in the bottom of the cells, hopefully they will do something with the eggs..

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Move hive aside change the floor. Put the inspection tray in shake the old floor out. You don’t have to go 100 yards away. 10 will do. After all your laying workers do fly.

thanks Dani

done that,now theyre all plastered on the back of the hive and outside of inspection tray....just leave them?

 

[Boston Bees]

Is there going to be a pile of confused nurse bees still 100 yards away too?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is there going to be a pile of confused nurse bees still 100 yards away too?

nurse bees can fly just as well as any other bee, it's just they don't need to in their early stages of life

 

[Boston Bees]

nurse bees can fly just as well as any other bee, it's just they don't need to in their early stages of life

True

But will they have any idea where to go to find the other hives to beg their way into?

I guess they've had to do cleansing flights

 

[Erichalfbee]

thanks Dani

done that,now theyre all plastered on the back of the hive and outside of inspection tray....just leave them?

Yes

 

[Erichalfbee]

In much the same situation with one colony, I've done what dani has suggested on two occasions still no queen found so I've added a frame with a small patch of eggs to see what happens, colony haven't gone that far as to seeing multiple eggs in cells but I did see a worker laying eggs right in the bottom of the cells, hopefully they will do something with the eggs..

We’re there young larvae as well as eggs?

 

[Curly green finger's]

We’re there young larvae as well as eggs?

Older larvae dani and eggs on one frame

 

[Curly green finger's]

Older larvae dani and eggs on one frame

Have I done the right thing adding the frame of eggs?
Im going to look at them tomorrow ill let you know what I find.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have I done the right thing adding the frame of eggs?
Im going to look at them tomorrow ill let you know what I find.

I usually leave it about three days

 

[Curly green finger's]

Three days tomorrow if you include yesterday morning when I put the frame in?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yesterday?
Then today is the first day
I would look in on Tuesday

 

[Cuckmere couple]

i had to put a nuc next to the hive above in the end on sunday as there were so many clumped outside (looked like a swarm)...illv have another look inside the nuc to see what re-entered and the hive to check Q hasnt been killed

and...still a load outside on the hive....

would it be multiple LWs in the clumps?

 

[Cuckmere couple]

may have screwed up

moved the good colony again to the side onto a solid floor....took the nuc away 3 miles and shook out (still new multi eggs in it since sun)

today...no bees in clumps etc so all good

UNTIL, i realised solid floor was actually a demaree board and therefore maybe LWs have entered through the QE window from below

will leave a couple of days and then see if good Q is toast

 

[Erichalfbee]

Errr why did you shake the bees out three miles away?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

today...no bees in clumps etc so all good

There wouldn't be - you dumped them all three miles away

 

[Cuckmere couple]

there were already two clumps on back of good hive which didnt make the 3 mile journey

i had placed a nuc to take most of the v large clump of bees alongside the good hive on sunday that seemed not to be budging and shook them out by my out apiary

 

[Boston Bees]

If someone drove 3 miles and dumped bees near my apiary ......