Uniting a Q- angry hive

[NickM]

I have a Q- angry hive. I removed the queen a couple of weeks ago, and introduced a bought-in queen. The introduction failed, and the hive is now queenless, empty of brood, and nastier than ever.

I added a test frame today just to check they really are queenless, and if the test frame confirms the Q- status, I would like to unite them, using newspaper, with a Q+ colony I have in a nuc.

Here's my question. Are there any issues uniting with a very feisty/defensive colony such as this one? Or will the newspaper work just fine regardless of temperament? All advice welcome.

 

[Amari]

Should be OK in my experience. Belt and braces, you could consider both the newspaper and spraying both colonies with a scented air-freshener to neutralise their identity-pheromones - but I've never tried this myself.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have a Q- angry hive. I removed the queen a couple of weeks ago, and introduced a bought-in queen. The introduction failed, and the hive is now queenless, empty of brood, and nastier than ever.

I added a test frame today just to check they really are queenless, and if the test frame confirms the Q- status, I would like to unite them, using newspaper, with a Q+ colony I have in a nuc.

Here's my question. Are there any issues uniting with a very feisty/defensive colony such as this one? Or will the newspaper work just fine regardless of temperament? All advice welcome.

It should work. I always put the Q+ colony on top in these circumstances.
When re queening a hot hive it pays not to introduce the queen directly but make a nuc up for her and unite when she is laying having disposed of the nasty queen just before the unite.

 

[ericbeaumont]

introduced a bought-in queen. The introduction failed, and the hive is now queenless

When bees dispose of the bought queen they usually allow enough to be laid to supersede her. You certain that no QCs were made?

it pays not to introduce the queen directly but make a nuc up

Yes, safe method.

 

[NickM]

When bees dispose of the bought queen they usually allow enough to be laid to supersede her. You certain that no QCs were made?

Yes, QCs were made. I checked about 9 days after introduction, found the bees to be calm and an unmarked queen in there, but also recently sealed qcs. I marked the queen, who I assumed was the introduced queen who's disc had fallen or been chewed off, and destroyed the QCs. Now 11 days later no queen, no eggs, no brood, v angry bees. I have put in a test frame just in case I missed the queen or a qc, and would only combine if they raise new cells.