German dark honey bee in NC

[kyell]

Squarepeg, that is one dark queen! Did you get them into a hive? I am guessing that you did not keep them since it kind of looks like this queen bee is "leaking" a bit, so I am guessing that the queen is dead in the photo?

[kyell]

I am going to start this same topic in the swarms forum--so your not loosing your mind, I am just seeing if I get more responses from other folks.
Kyle

[squarepeg]

correct kyell, she was dead in the photo.

it was very late in the fall, and the swarm she came in with was very small.

plus, i wasn't keen on propagating the trait of usurpation.

i discussed this with walt wright, who shared experiences he had with swarms taking over hives. the difference in his cases was that his hives were queenless when they were taken over. the hive that this queen and her swarm attempted to take over was queenright and healthy. it was a first year start from a caught swarm that just happened to be the smallest colony in my yard at the time. turns out they overwintered well and are brooding up nicely at this time.