I made up several nucs out of my existing (3) hives and a day later gave each a caged queen (left the cork in). The following day I found emergency queen cells in one of the parent hives. I checked the nuc from that hive and sure enough I had moved the queen. So now what do I do? Obviously can't leave the caged queen in the nuc and I don't know if the parent hive will take the queen back since they now have emergency queen cells. I've read that they consider themselves queen right once that starts.
Options seem to be removing the emergency cells from the parent hive and see if they will accept the caged queen after a few days or to leave the emergency queen cells and see if they produce a mated queen and use the caged queen to make up another nuc. Either way I think it makes sense to leave the old queen in the nuc, move them to a deep brood box and let them develop.
I appreciate any advice I can get. This is new territory for me.
Thanks,
John
Options seem to be removing the emergency cells from the parent hive and see if they will accept the caged queen after a few days or to leave the emergency queen cells and see if they produce a mated queen and use the caged queen to make up another nuc. Either way I think it makes sense to leave the old queen in the nuc, move them to a deep brood box and let them develop.
I appreciate any advice I can get. This is new territory for me.
Thanks,
John