AS & New Queen

[northernsoul]

Did an AS split about 10 days ago. Never had any problems before over the years.
New hive about 40 yards from old. Didn't take, obviously swarmed anyway. About 7 capped emergency cells from transferred frame and queen gone. I've broken down 6 and left one which to be honest looks really good.

Problem! Should I wait for it to hatch and mate and leave hive alone. or get new queen though introduction is not risk free and it will cost me or should I unite which i don't really want to do given how far apart the two hives are.

Don't need comments on my original method just on the best way forward for this to be a viable new colony
thanks

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Wait for queen to emerge and mate then see what envelops. Then if needs be squish queen and replace (bees will know they're Q- and accept a new queen easier). At the moment the next thing the bees anticipate is a virgin queen - putting a mated queen in there may make acceptance harder.

 

[enrico]

Wait....

 

[oliver90owner]

Need to know your method to be able to guage the strength of that failed manipulation.

Need to know if these cells are really emergency cells or whether the queen swarmed. The two together are conflicting.

Guessing this 'transferred frame' was at the time of the initial split? Well, more likely but not definite.

So not a lot of real information to go on, so I would guess uniting is likely the better get-out from the mess.

Simple alternatives, whether waiting for a queen emerging, mating, laying and three weeks for the first emerging brood or introducing a laying queen - and still waiting three weeks for new brood - might be to get adding frames with emerging brood. Just really depends on your timescale as to when you want it to be a viable colony or a strong viable colony. And of course, what is there now, so more info please.

 

[northernsoul]

found nearly capped swarm cells, (some capped) as it was day 9 since previous inspection.
transferred hive to new site. Found Q on frame transferred frame with Q to new hive with foundation to old site and ensured frame had no swarm cells.

This morning the emergency cells were 'growing' from mid frame. number of bees looks like one quarter of original hive colony

 

[oliver90owner]

Seems like queen was not dead, so cells are swarm cells, not emergency?

Only the one frame containing mostly capped brood? Or were there lots of stores and not much brood at the time?

Wouldn't expect her to lay very much before readying for departure again, so she likely went with more than half the complement (few house bees needed and nearly all bees would be flyers). No supers on there? Not a lot left really?

Other possibilities are to swap its position with another colony (parent colony, at a suitable point, or any other). Viable is one thing, crop is another, so your choice.

You threw me when you seemed to indicate the new hive position was away from the old - didn't expect, from that wording, that you had moved away the parent colony.

No other closer colonies with which to unite? Options are there; you just need to list them and decide.