Hello.
I made up 3 nuc splits Sunday a week ago in preparation of receiving some new VSH queens I'd ordered on Thursday. The queens were sent out and I received them on Wednesday and all 3 queens looked well. I placed them, in their cages into the nucs Wednesday am and quickly received what appeared to be a 'warm' reception by all the nucs. I checked on them Saturday afternoon to see their progression and 2 were almost out of their cages and 1 was already out. I looked around the hive to see where she might be and noticed what appeared to be a 'balling' of the new queen with 5 to 10 bees surrounding her. I tried to move the bees 'off' her - but they quickly covered her back. I also noticed that the attendants, or at least 3 of them were dead in the cage. Is it possible that the queen got released too early and they attacked and killed her? I tried to locate her yesterday but wasn't able to. I know, with 100% certaintenty that there wasn't a queen in this nuc split or the other 2 because of the following ..
nuc1 - the one in question - made up of new brood moved over
nuc2 - no queen for 2 weeks with new brood added
nuc3 - pinched unproductive queen.
I guess I can order another queen but was going to give all 3 nucs a few more days to see if I could locate the queens - but more importantly see if there is some eggs or larva before I order another one. I could also combine this nuc, but was hoping to get another nuc ready for overwintering ... just in case. I called the person I ordered the queens from and he suggested I wait a few more days and perhaps it's be ok. He said he'd work with me if there was an issue. What does that really mean, and what options do I have for the existing nuc - other that adding another queen. I don't believe it is the 'queen breeders' fault - just strange that I say this as I know there wasn't a queen in there and this isn't a 'swarm/supercedure' environment. I've always had Italian or Carnelian bees in the past, so don't know if this has any merit or not ...
thanks -
I made up 3 nuc splits Sunday a week ago in preparation of receiving some new VSH queens I'd ordered on Thursday. The queens were sent out and I received them on Wednesday and all 3 queens looked well. I placed them, in their cages into the nucs Wednesday am and quickly received what appeared to be a 'warm' reception by all the nucs. I checked on them Saturday afternoon to see their progression and 2 were almost out of their cages and 1 was already out. I looked around the hive to see where she might be and noticed what appeared to be a 'balling' of the new queen with 5 to 10 bees surrounding her. I tried to move the bees 'off' her - but they quickly covered her back. I also noticed that the attendants, or at least 3 of them were dead in the cage. Is it possible that the queen got released too early and they attacked and killed her? I tried to locate her yesterday but wasn't able to. I know, with 100% certaintenty that there wasn't a queen in this nuc split or the other 2 because of the following ..
nuc1 - the one in question - made up of new brood moved over
nuc2 - no queen for 2 weeks with new brood added
nuc3 - pinched unproductive queen.
I guess I can order another queen but was going to give all 3 nucs a few more days to see if I could locate the queens - but more importantly see if there is some eggs or larva before I order another one. I could also combine this nuc, but was hoping to get another nuc ready for overwintering ... just in case. I called the person I ordered the queens from and he suggested I wait a few more days and perhaps it's be ok. He said he'd work with me if there was an issue. What does that really mean, and what options do I have for the existing nuc - other that adding another queen. I don't believe it is the 'queen breeders' fault - just strange that I say this as I know there wasn't a queen in there and this isn't a 'swarm/supercedure' environment. I've always had Italian or Carnelian bees in the past, so don't know if this has any merit or not ...
thanks -