What shall I do with this queen?

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hive-got-bees

New Bee
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Sep 19, 2011
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I've just re-united two small colonies, and I took the queen (with 5 workers) out of one of them before I did so. I haven't killed her (I don't have the heart to!)..is there anything more constructive I can do with her at this time of year? Or do I just have to face up to the fact that she'll need humanely dispensing with?
 
Post her to me if you want, I'll gladly house her.
 
Would it make sense to keep her warm, fed and happy until you have reason to believe that the unite has gone well and the 'keeper' queen has been fully accepted?
 
Thanks for your replies. I never thought I could house her for the winter. That could be useful...but how would I go about doing this? (You can probably tell I'm pretty new to bee-keeping). I've tried googling it but haven't had much luck.
 
You would only be able to house her in a queenless hive, if someone out there could take her for that reason then she maybe useful, otherwise just pinch her.
 
Thanks for your replies. I never thought I could house her for the winter. That could be useful...but how would I go about doing this? (You can probably tell I'm pretty new to bee-keeping). I've tried googling it but haven't had much luck.

You'd need the best-insulated, smallest-but-survivable colony to put her into.
"Mating hives" (Apideas, Kielers, etc) are small (think shoebox) and well insulated, needing only "a cupful" of bees (roughly 1000) to survive in summer. Removing that number of bees from another colony is a hit, but hardly a massive one.
Most brands of these micro hives have parts on offer to "double brood" them so that they might survive the winter, yes with more bees in the box, and likely continuous fondant supply.

But frankly, I think its too late (for this year) for you to start heading in that direction.
 
I never thought I could house her for the winter. That could be useful...but how would I go about doing this? .
I have read of commercial breeders in the US and Australia who bank queens over winter. That needs active hives and a supply of fresh young bees over the whole period. Add artificial warmth and feeding where the climate is not ideal. Not really viable for one queen over winter in the UK.
 
...
Most brands of these micro hives have parts on offer to "double brood" them so that they might survive the winter, ...


From the Modern Beek'ing website
KIELER MINI NUC UPPER BODY

This upper body is designed for over-wintering a mini-nuc colony or to allow a queenless mini-nuc to be united with a queen-right colony. ...

£9.95 inc vat
 

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