New mated queen introduced

[Nopants]

Last week I introduced a new queen in to a Nuc of young bees and brood. On inspection today I found 6 queen cells and no sign of the new queen. The Bees were quiet however. Is there a possability the new queen could be in amongst the Bees or has she been disposed of by means of superscedure. The queen was clipped but unmarked. Hindsight says I should have marked her before release. Question is now what to do?

 

[Poly Hive]

This nuc was Q- was it? And you made sure by testing with a test frame of eggs and open brood?

PH

 

[Nopants]

This nuc was Q- was it? And you made sure by testing with a test frame of eggs and open brood?

PH

There was no queen in there and it was made up of sealed Brood and Eggs.Unable to see any eggs today after going through the frames 4 times. But these queens are never found when you want to see them.

 

[oliver90owner]

6 queen calls doesn't, to me, seem the norm for supercedure.

One week, if indeed that is 7 days, would not be long enough to get capped queen cells from new eggs. 'Last week' might not be so meaningful. Need to know with a bit more precision. Number of days would be good.

Seems more like emergency queen cells to me but you did not mention eggs in your post.

So, not really a clue as to what exactly is happening.

At this time of year I would be thinking 'get another laying queen' or, much more likely, simply 'unite' with another colony.

But this might depend on whether you intend to over-winter as a nucleus, how many colonies you might have, how long the season might extend into the autumn.......

Not so much ymmv but ymwv (the w for 'will').

RAB

 

[Hivemaker.]

Sounds like they executed your new queen,preferring to make one of there own from the eggs/larvae present.

 

[Nopants]

6 queen calls doesn't, to me, seem the norm for supercedure.

One week, if indeed that is 7 days, would not be long enough to get capped queen cells from new eggs. 'Last week' might not be so meaningful. Need to know with a bit more precision. Number of days would be good.

Seems more like emergency queen cells to me but you did not mention eggs in your post.

So, not really a clue as to what exactly is happening.

At this time of year I would be thinking 'get another laying queen' or, much more likely, simply 'unite' with another colony.

But this might depend on whether you intend to over-winter as a nucleus, how many colonies you might have, how long the season might extend into the autumn.......

Not so much ymmv but ymwv (the w for 'will').

RAB

The New Queen was placed in the Nuc last Thursday and left alone for them to get on with it. I have some drones in the Nuc so hopefully something will happen. I was hoping to increase my hives for next year as I have one full colony and one other Nuc on four frames which was a supercedure of another introduced queen that lasted 4 weeks laying before being over thrown. I wanted to try out different strains of Bees by introducing different queens. May be this is my down fall.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Making up a nuc from 3 colonys is often easier for imediate introduction of queen,you may have been better making up your nuc,leave 9 days,destroy all emergency cells,then slow introduction of new queen,giving a feed at the same time. You could now allow virgin to emerge,find her,cage her in nuc,then swap for mated queen.

 

[Nopants]

Making up a nuc from 3 colonys is often easier for imediate introduction of queen,you may have been better making up your nuc,leave 9 days,destroy all emergency cells,then slow introduction of new queen,giving a feed at the same time. You could now allow virgin to emerge,find her,cage her in nuc,then swap for mated queen.

Well I will give it untill October to sort its self out and re-unite with the other Nuc if all else fails and try again in the spring with the advice given.

Thanks Guys

 

[oliver90owner]

Yep, thanks for the further info after my typing was slower than your previous response!

The later posts seem to have covered your problem.

I think you will probably finish up uniting. Diffficult, so late in the season, to get any strength into the colony, and stores for winter.

I am now presuming your colonies are on standard National brood frames? I keep thinking 14 x 12 these days, so 4 frames to me is considerably different to 4 frames on standard depth. I also note 'on' and 'covering' in different posts - and the two can be somewhat different in my book.

With one full colony it may not be too easy to deprive them of brood to boost the others at this time of the year.

Again, so many variables in beekeeping, but hopefully you will get sorted before the time for winter clustering. One way or another.

My advice is always don't run before you can walk. In my early days, I expanded colony numbers and failed. BTDT. I now expand early, have strong splits or nucs, to defend (against wasps) later in the season and am prepared to sacrifice numbers of colonies for strength at the latter end of the season. With very few colonies that is much more difficult to achieve, I know.

Regards, RAB