Will this work?

[Judas2610]

Hi,
I went to a small apiary today where I have only 2 colonies (one a nuc).
The large hive was queenless with no eggs or lava - the new queen I was expecting to be laying obviously hadn't got mated (I was waiting 4 weeks).
Now what I did next seems on hindsight to have been risky.
I poured in the nuc of bees along with 2 frames of sealed brood and eggs after heavily smoking the hives.
The question is will they accept her in the new hive. The two sets of bees didn't seem to be fighting so fingers crossed.
Thanks.

 

[enrico]

Well you've done it now so the question is a bit irrelevant! If you did have a newly mated queen who was just taking a while to get going you might find you have a swarm on your hands and there may now be two queens in there! Four weeks isn't long to expect to find a small patch of eggs that could easily be missed!
I do hope it works out for you, as long as a right royal bust up hasn't happened you may just be in luck
Can I suggest that you take a step back next time and consider the outcome before you initiate the act! If you did that then I apologise.
E

 

[Judas2610]

Thanks for the reply and your are right of course, the question is a little irrelevant. However I thought a more experienced beekeeper might put my mind at ease without my having to wait and see. It will all become obvious in time.
But the disapproving lecture from you on my actions is not what I need or indeed want. You can keep that advice thanks.

 

[oliver90owner]

Size of apiary is irrelevant.

Without checking, by means of a test frame, you have no idea if there was a queen, or not, in the suspected Q-colony.

A fair chance that a non-laying virgin would kill a laying queen.

If that has occurred, there will be no eggs in the hive in three days time, unless the non-layer was just about to start laying.

If the laying queen were killed by a virgin you then have two options, well three actually.

1. She gets mated and starts to lay.
2. She does not get mated and starts to lay.
3. Less likely, but she may never start laying whether mated of not.

You can know if the non-layer has killed the laying queen in three days time at most.

If still eggs, you may not know which queen survived. But you might if the offspring were all drones.

 

[Judas2610]

Yes thanks for your reply. I do know about the timings and queens laying etc. I don't think I explained myself fully.

What I meant about the apiary size is that I only had one nuc to work from and that was a Commercial box while the large hive was National. Therefore I couldn't do the frame of eggs test as the frame wouldn't fit in.
As I have only ever combined hives by the newspaper method I just wondered if anyone had ever put the queen and her bees into another Q- hive by just pouring them in using lots of smoke.
Anyway, time will tell.
Cheers.

 

[enrico]

Thanks for the reply and your are right of course, the question is a little irrelevant. However I thought a more experienced beekeeper might put my mind at ease without my having to wait and see. It will all become obvious in time.
But the disapproving lecture from you on my actions is not what I need or indeed want. You can keep that advice thanks.

I didn't disapprove, you did what you did and I understand that, I gave you honest advice and you threw it back in my face in a rude and disrespectful way. If you don't want advice then don't ask for it. If you just want someone to approve of what you did then why ask the question. I am sorry that you see my advice as lecturing just because you don't agree with it. For some reason you have taken offence when it was not meant. Maybe i should just have said, yes you did everything right and it will all work out in the end, well done. I won't be answering any more of your questions. Sorry I wasted time on this one.
When you have a few more posts you may be able to sort out the good from the bad
Good luck for the future
E

 

[galileo]

For future reference in the event of something similar, a small patch of eggs cut from one frame and grafted into another is all that's needed. Those little pastry cutting rings work a treat and guarantee a good fit. I've never poured bees in using smoke but a very light dusting of icing sugar works a treat. If you do end up with a laying Queen in there and all bees remain, be on the lookout for a possible supercedure in the near future. Good luck.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

My my my: who needs to get mated?

 

[enrico]

Didn't know I could throw teddy that far!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thanks for the reply and your are right of course,

At least you admit that

However I thought a more experienced beekeeper might put my mind at ease without my having to wait and see.

but if you were wrong - which indeed in my opinion you were, how on earth can you expect approval and reassurance

the disapproving lecture from you on my actions is not what I need or indeed want.

So why bl**dy post in the first instance then?

you can keep that advice thanks.

I see - you cocked up, come on here and ask us for advice, when we give an answer you don't like the dummy's spat!!

Beekeeping needs patience, you didn't exercise that - 4 weeks is nothing to wait for a queen to get mated and lay.
You should have thought it throiugh - you didn't, you just poured a Q+ nuc in and hoped for the best then asked us if they would accept the new queen - goodness knows. I think you have invited carnage there could be two queens in there, they could fight it out, both could get damaged, the loser could be the poorer queen, it could be nothing like that........................................

Sorry - the answer you wanted is:

Yes, everything will be fine - this is done all the time, wouldn't have done anything different myself

WELL DONE!​

 

[Judas2610]

My god what a crowd of total tossers!
Thank you Galileo for the only bit of real advice. The rest of you are very free with your views on how I should act and what i really want tohear but as far as I can see know ---- all else!
Don't worry - there are plenty of other forums about and also real beekeepers I can talk to.
And here's my advice to you - maybe the next time when someone new posts a question, try to swallow your superiority complexes and desires to appear clever and answer the question without judging.
Twats!

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Goodbye.

 

[Davelin]

Goodbye.

 

[Excession]

Troll.

 

[Taylan]

What's happening to this forum ? I know the bees are waspy this year must be catching

 

[oliver90owner]

I don't think I explained myself fully

No, you didn't. No mention of differing frame sizes (but, hey, a National frame will hang on a Commercial top bar and so no real problem there, if you think about it.

I was struggling to find any relevance of apiary size and said so.

If you already knew the options, you did not need to come and ask for advice -you would have known to go back and work out what had happened by simple observation. So I don't think the OP has it quite right about who is the tosser - just needs to lookmin a mirrorvto see the virtual image of one.

Mind you, I am surprised at enrico! A case of just one too many of that type posting on the forum? Good response though, enrico. Completely honest and to the point! Nailed him perfectly, I would suggest.

Funny how some posters don't like to hear the real truth.

I don't think, on this occasion, I called him what I thought on my first reply. I do usually wait until I am sure they are one of those, err, tossers. Just on this occasion he showed his true colours very early on, to a usually very compliant enrico.

Sad to lose him, but he may find a load of comics out there that will sympathise with his every silly ploy.

 

[enrico]

Thanks for the back up folks (specially RAB) I just didn't think I deserved that...... Let's close this one and get on to some happier posters!
It's a lovely day and my bees are flying.....onwards and upwards
E

 

[Dishmop]

The rest of you are very free with your views on how I should act and what i really want tohear but as far as I can see know ---- all else!

So... you entered a post.... knowing that what you had done was not the best action you could have taken......and then you throw your teddy about when you get a reply agreeing with you that it was indeed not the best thing you could have done.....
There was nothing wrong in anything that Enrico said. Neither in advice or attitude.

I mean what did you really want to hear?

 

[Teemore]

Potentially a poor choice of action by the OP. I hope that a battle royale will not ensue as a result of two queens now being present. I would suggest that a test frame (or two) from another apiary would have been the better choice if they were unwilling to try to get a National frame to balance in the Commercial box. I sincerely hope the beekeeper gets away with this manipulation.

An interesting choice of forum name by the OP too.

 

[Jimmys Mum]

There was nothing wrong in anything that Enrico said. Neither in advice or attitude.

Absolutely, .......Enrico is this forum's 'Mr Nice Guy'!!!!

And Enrico is right, it's a beautiful day for being a beekeeper today, so onwards and upwards!

JM