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I caught an existing bee hive & might not have got the queen.

960 views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  psfred 
#1 ·
I caught a small honey bee hive from a wtaer meter. I did take too much time in putting the existing new and broom comb into frames. And most of the bees where flying (maybe 10,000 honey bees) arouind me and did not stay in the card board box. I might have got mabe a thousand bees in the new box. I think that the queen may not have been caught or could have been killed. The new broom comb had plenty of larvae. Eventually they did go to the box with the comb in it.

A friend of mine says they will make a queen hatch. Or will they eventuall die off?
 
#2 ·
As long as you have enough bees to keep the brood warm, and you got some brood that's the "right" age, the bees will likely make a new queen if they need one. Don't get impatient, though, as it could take over a month (from now) before the new queen lays her first egg.
 
#3 ·
I built a bunch of nuc boxes this year for splits and catching swarms. In your case, empty frames would be best, but I've been using an old one and some with foundation in the box.

Bees love them, once the queen is inside they move right in from swarms, it's fun to watch.

In your case, so long as you have a comb or two with some fresh eggs or very young larvae, they will make a queen for you. You will be able to tell in a week if they have started one (or six) by the presence of queen cells, which look more or less like peanuts and stick out from the frames and point down.

Good luck, hope it works out for you. Feral "survivor" bees are good bees to have.

If you did get the queen, you will have fresh eggs very soon, and larvae in a few days. After nine days, the bees will cap the cells, and you will see freshly capped brood.

Peter
 
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