relocating nuc foragers that have no home of their own

[xcugat]

Hello,

I just did a nuc order of 24 nucs for my local bee group. They were the waxed paper kind. As you may know hot day=bees chewing out of nucs. One had so many bees out already I let them loose as they were to be at my house overnight I had planned on putting in the plug in the evening but of course forgot. Now I have a large number of foragers from the last now removed nucs and all the stragglers from all the other nucs. So I placed a "dummy Nuc" with some old frames at the location and now a large number foragers are going in and out. My plan was to wait until tonight and dump them all in front of a newly installed nuc that could use the bees. If done at night I don't think I should have a problem but I dont want fighting or the nucs queen murdered. What do you all think?

[Rick 1456]

I don't see an issue with it. The nucs should defend their queen. Even so, the foragers will most likely "beg" their way in. I've done things like that with no problems.

[avesterfelt]

Just add a frame of eggs and let them give you another nuc, you have time to build up a resource colony and then you have a spare queen too.

Otherwise I would not personally just dump them at night in front of another hive; I don’t think you will have the results that you are looking for.

My 2 cents

[avesterfelt]

I've done things like that with no problems.

I will say that i have never just dumped other bees in front of a hive so I can not say it won't work.

[xcugat]

I would have made a nuc but I already have 5 nucs started and just building up and resources are limited anyone else attempted my original plan?

[avesterfelt]

Then go for it, they will find a home or die and your queens should be just fine.

[Rick 1456]

Those left over bees will find a home in your other five Nucs.

[gunter62]

I have shaken out lost bees as you described with no problems. Just go for it!

[Rick 1456]

AAAhhh,,,another success story. Hard for me the first time I did stuff like that. Just a "teachable" moment here. The commercial folks net their tractor trailer of bees for transport. All those bees from hundreds of hives get mixed up. They find a home after they are deployed. Same diff