[th4678]

I have one hive that is now queenless and will be receiving a package later in the week which will of course include a caged queen.

The queen in the package will be the fastest way to obtain a queen for my queenless hive, but at that point I would have a package of queenless bees.

Assuming I will use the package queen for my queenless hive, my options seem to be.

1. Place the package bees in the hive that will be receiving the new queen by using the newspaper method on that have with the package bees going into a hive body or super on top of that hive.

2. Place the package bees in another hive which I determine to be weak, but healthy using the newspaper method with a super of hive body on top of that existing hive.

 

[Vance G]

Install the package and wait for the queen to release as per normal. If there is the slightest chance that the queenless colony has laying workers, shake it out ten feet in front of the installed package and let the shaken bees beg their way in hopefully leaving the laying workers in the grass. If you need the drawn comb for the package. Just shake out the bees and then install the package.

 

[burns375]

Take the caged queen and set it on the hive that is queenless. See how they react. If they all come up from above and start fanning you shouldn't have a problem. If they begin attacking the cage I would hive the package in its own box and like vance suggests pull some open, pollen and honey comb from the other hive to give the package a boost.

I've never combined a package with an established hive so wouldn't know.

 

[tacomabees]

I just had this situation. I had a queenless hive and combined it with a new Nuc that I got about 9 days ago. I installed the Nuc into it's own box as you normally would, put a 3/4 in #8 screened mesh spacer and the queenless hive in its hive body on top. Waited three days, removed the screen and they combined with no trouble at all.