I had three laying worker hives this spring out of new packages. I shook all three out 100 yards away, then set up one hive with different drawn out foundation on the site of one of the hives. After several hours I put in a new queen with a candy plug and crossed my fingers. ( many bees were back to the hive)
When I checked four days later the new queen was alive and well and doing her thing. Fast forward to one week later. I now see some frames with three or four eggs on the bottom of the cells again, but one or two frames with only one. The queen is still there and appears normal.
So, obviously either several of the laying workers made it back to the hive. Do you think their ovaries will be surpressed once the new queen's larvae develope a little bit? This is my first experience with laying workers. And also, what are my odds of the hive surviving when there has been a month of no worker bee births? I hate to just maintain a weak hive and invite other problems like SHB.
I await your wise words.....
When I checked four days later the new queen was alive and well and doing her thing. Fast forward to one week later. I now see some frames with three or four eggs on the bottom of the cells again, but one or two frames with only one. The queen is still there and appears normal.
So, obviously either several of the laying workers made it back to the hive. Do you think their ovaries will be surpressed once the new queen's larvae develope a little bit? This is my first experience with laying workers. And also, what are my odds of the hive surviving when there has been a month of no worker bee births? I hate to just maintain a weak hive and invite other problems like SHB.
I await your wise words.....