Bees Absconded

[Yuleluder]

I hived two packages on Sunday. Today when I came home, I noticed barely any bees coming into the 1st hive. I opened it up and there was like 50 bees in the hive. I saw eggs in about 50-100 cells. I noticed a couple of cells had two eggs in them. Man I am so upset, what could have happend? I checked out the 2nd hive and there were eggs everywhere. The 2nd hive had about 4 or 5 frames full of bees.

I direct released the queens, and placed a couple of drops of a swarm lure in the hives on Sunday before I hived the packages. The hive which absconded, I had a little incident when releasing the queen. When I released her I noticed her crawling up at the top of the frame so I went to brush her down, and then I got stung. I thought that it was a attendant bee that stung me. Now I am not so sure. I've read many of the posts about a queen stinging, and no one has ever been stung. That is why I didn't think the queen stung me. Yesterday bees were going in and out of the hive bringing, and bringing in pollen. Now there is like 50 bees left. Please help me understand what I did wrong.

[Michael Bush]

Is there a queen in the hive with 50 left? If so then they probably drifted to the other hive. Swap places and it will even out a lot.

If the queen is gone, then I'd guess they absconded. They usually don't once there is brood.

[Yuleluder]

I fogged them in the evening yesterday with FGMO. I don't know why that would have caused them to leave. I just checked the hive with 50 bees and there is no queen. One frame had about 3/4 full of eggs on one side. I noticed 2 cells had 2 eggs in them. The other hive has about 1 1/2 frames full of eggs.

Well it's supposed to rain like hell tonight. I hope they found a hollow tree. It really sucks when you come home from work, and are surprised by something like this.

[Michael Bush]

I'd combine them so the brood doesn't go to waste. Maybe you can do a split in a month or so.

[Yuleluder]

Well I moved the frame of eggs. The frame was actually 3/4 full of eggs. They must have found some where better to live if they deserted all those eggs. Now I find myself gazing at all the surrounding trees in hopes of finding my runaway bees. I broke out the binoculars on anything that remotely appeared to be a swarm.

Thanks for your help Mike Bush.

[YBCute]

You mean you fogged them the next day after you packaged them??????
It drives 90% of my bees out of the hive when I do this but they go right back in after 5 miinutes. I think you may have made a mistake doing this so soon. I don't disturb them for a week or more to check if the queen has been released.

[Yuleluder]

I hived them Sunday. I fogged them Wednesday, after the sun was down. They left Thursday Morning. They really made alot of noise when I fogged compared to the other hive.

[power napper]

Those of us that don't make mistakes ain't doing nothing. I agree with michael bush and would combine what you have left to save the brood.

[Dan Williamson]

Just MHO. Next time I would wait for several weeks ( at least until I had brood in all stages) before I fogged them. I don't think they had enough time to settle in.

When I fog my hives it definately gets their attention.

Dan