Queenless Nuc ,, chances of survival ?

[B+.]

That's the bit to remember isn't it? You can always combine if things go wrong!

Yes. I think it was Wedmore who said any emergency in beekeeping could be solved by putting something into, or taking something out of, a nucleus.

 

[Finman]

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About 10 years ago I started to use a swarming hives as queen rearer. I shange the queen cell larvae and virgins will be high quality. Then I use in mating nucs workers from same hive.

 

[Geb]

I do have a couple of strong colonies. How about taking the queen from one of these strong colonies and introducing it to my under strength queenless Nuc. Then let the strong colony produce its own new queen?

 

[Davelin]

Why weaken a strong colony?

If I were you I would unite the nuc with one of your strong colonies.

You can do a split later when they produce queen cells.

 

[Finman]

I do have a couple of strong colonies. How about taking the queen from one of these strong colonies and introducing it to my under strength queenless Nuc. Then let the strong colony produce its own new queen?

Buy a laying queen, and do not spoil your good hives. Price is £ 30.

 

[Pete D]

I have a Queenless nuc. It has 2 frames of supplies (pollen and capped honey), 1 frame of capped brood and another frame of larvae with some eggs. I am hoping that they produce their own queen from the eggs. What chance of success do you think I have, and what can I do to improve my chances?

Hi Geb, I probably missed it, but what laid the eggs, how did it become queen less. Did it go through winter as a nuc ?

Where in UK are you.

good luck Pete

 

[Geb]

Thanks everybody. I have managed to get another (old unwanted) queen from another local beek. This should see me through until I can buy a new mated queen (on order but not available until end of the month).

 

[B+.]

Thanks everybody. I have managed to get another (old unwanted) queen from another local beek. This should see me through until I can buy a new mated queen (on order but not available until end of the month).

Well done. I was hoping you'd be able to do something like that.
I hope they accept her now. I would put her in an introduction cage over a patch of emerging brood and open nectar. She will be able to feed herself until the brood emerges without being attacked by the older bees. so long as you destroy all emergency cells (and keep doing it) they'll accept her after a couple of days and you can release her.