Queen rescued from balling

[alancooper]

Double brood box swarm control split early May then recombined. Weekly inspections mid May showed eggs and the marked/clipped Q present. Weekly insp since showed bees in all stages but no record of the Q (although I did not search). On a routine weekly inspection today 25/6 all looked OK, bees in all stages but I spotted an unmarked/unclipped Q on a frame with eggs. Marked/clipped Q not seen since recombination.
I removed the unmarked Q to a cage and marked/clipped her, assuming marked Q had been lost. I cannot understand how she got there ( no signs of an old open Hatched Q cell).
On putting the open Q cage on top of the brood frames, she was harassed by aggressive workers. I managed to rescue her and she is now in an incubator recovering and seems chirpy again in a sealed Q cage blocked with fondant. I cannot decide how to proceed. Try returning the caged Q tomorrow? Or put the caged Q into a nuc and see how the double brood colony develops. Mmmmmm…..

 

[Sutty]

Makes me wonder if this is a supersedure and 2 queens were present, then they objected to her once disturbed.
I think I'd put her in a nuc, see what the hive does & maybe recombine later

 

[alancooper]

Makes me wonder if this is a supersedure and 2 queens were present, then they objected to her once disturbed.
I think I'd put her in a nuc, see what the hive does & maybe recombine later

I will let you know what happens. I had not considered supercedure. I have Apideas mating/mated in the apiary. Could entry by an absconding Q be a possible explanation?

 

[Antipodes]

Double brood box swarm control split early May then recombined. Weekly inspections mid May showed eggs and the marked/clipped Q present. Weekly insp since showed bees in all stages but no record of the Q (although I did not search). On a routine weekly inspection today 25/6 all looked OK, bees in all stages but I spotted an unmarked/unclipped Q on a frame with eggs. Marked/clipped Q not seen since recombination.
I removed the unmarked Q to a cage and marked/clipped her, assuming marked Q had been lost. I cannot understand how she got there ( no signs of an old open Hatched Q cell).
On putting the open Q cage on top of the brood frames, she was harassed by aggressive workers. I managed to rescue her and she is now in an incubator recovering and seems chirpy again in a sealed Q cage blocked with fondant. I cannot decide how to proceed. Try returning the caged Q tomorrow? Or put the caged Q into a nuc and see how the double brood colony develops. Mmmmmm…..

I've rarely had much luck reintroducing a queen (after rescue) once they've been balled. Perhaps once or twice if put in a small nuc. I'll be interested to hear how you get on

 

[hemo]

Dunk her in honey and make sure she is well covered , pop her on the top bars. She will be accepted.

Might she have entered the wrong colony ?
Or on has missed a QC or a secreted away QC esp against the sdie bars.