[txbeek]

I did a cutout 3 weeks ago, and the bees seemed fine. Put them in a TBH Nuc. Fed for a couple days

I just got back from a trip and every bee is dead except the queen. I dont know when she last ate.

Should I just put some capped brood and honey bars from other hives and put in hive with her?

Should I keep her caged in the queen catcher for a day or two?

Never been in this situation.

And it is pouring down rain right now.

Thanks!!

TxBeek

 

[txbeek]

I put 2 bars of partially capped honey and two bars of some capped brood, some pollen, and some honey. And all the nurse bees and workers on the bars. Put the queen clip under the first bar which is empty. The bees immediately went to her cage and many others started fanning. Don't know if they went to kill her or feed her. Guess I will know tomorrow.

Thanks for the replies. Will post the results.

TxBeek

 

[RayMarler]

That sounds like they like her and are fanning her scent out into the hive. If they are not tight up against the queen clip like velcro, but instead are feeding her through the clip and fanning, then they like her. Good luck, sounds like you have a split going now.

 

[txbeek]

I dont have a queen cage, so i used a queen clip to keep track of her while i cleaned out the hive, and moved top bars.

But I guess I got lucky. I just went out there tonight and she was alive, so I released her. I guess the transferred bees accepted her.

TxBeek

 

[Oldtimer]

Nice work. As per Ray, if the bees start nasanov fanning around the cage the queen is in that pretty much means they have accepted her, caution still has to be exercised it only takes one bee to start balling behaviour.

If the bees you moved to the hive were from nearby the older flying bees will return to their original hives and leave just the young ones that tend to accept any queen you give them.

There is a negative to that though, the older bees can return & rob the new hive and the young bees will let them. So, keep the entrance tiny, one or two bees, for the first week. If there is any robbing remove those honeycombs, they can be put back in later.

 

[txbeek]

Thanks for the info. This nuc has 2 half inch holes for entrances, so i will plug one in the the holes for a while.