[DonaB]

I’ve been asked to remove a hot hive. The family has this hive under their deck and are tired of having bees particularly since this hive seems a bit aggressive.
I will break the hive up into nucs, just to make them smaller colonies, find the queen and kill her.
Now my question - can I just let each nuc make a new queen? (knowing I have to provide each nuc with eggs or very young larva). Will the “mean” genetics just get passed on if they requeen themselves?
I don’t currently have the option of getting queens from somewhere else as I’m due to leave town and just don’t have the time. Now that the weather is getting nicer these folks just want the bees gone NOW! We’re still a bit early in the season here in MD but I am seeing drones coming out of my hives so there should be plenty of drones once these queens would be ready to mate.
Thanks much!

 

[AHudd]

I would break them into nucs as you suggest. Kill the Queen, wait 4 or 5 days, pinch all QCs, then give them some eggs from your colonies.

Good luck,
Alex

 

[snapper1d]

I would break them into nucs as you suggest. Kill the Queen, wait 4 or 5 days, pinch all QCs, then give them some eggs from your colonies.

Good luck,
Alex

I second that advice!!!

 

[crofter]

Or you can let them raise their own queens now which will likely have different genetics from the drones. They will not get hot till the population builds anyways. Later when you have the time you can replace those queens with known genetics. You may be able to have those queens you cull raise some more bees, get comb drawn etc. if you have the equipment and time to play with them. It could be nice to have spare emergency use queens even if they have potential heat in their jeans!

 

[texanbelchers]

Depending on timing, you could start your own queens and give the nucs a cell when you split. If you have to do it quickly, either option above will work. I'm assuming you don't have AHB genetics to deal with.

 

[DonaB]

. I'm assuming you don't have AHB genetics to deal with.

I’ve not heard of AHB here in Maryland. I’m also thinking they could just be angry at being under a deck in the shade with foot traffic above. I’m going to go take a look at things on Mon.