Introducing laying queen from nuc

[bjosephd]

So my queens have arrived.

They have been introduced to nucs.

They have been freed, and are happily laying in their nucs.

Now what's the best next step to introducing them to a big colony? From small nuc to bug colony.

Push in cage?

One was introduced to a 'nuc' in a full size brood... so am thinking of boosting with brood from her hive to be until she's a big strong hive.

 

[Poly Hive]

What is the current state of the "big" colonies?

PH

 

[Erichalfbee]

I unite the colonies through newspaper after removing one queen and putting the new queen in the top box

 

[bjosephd]

I see. I always wonder about this uniting business. I mean, ideally, you'd take all the flying bees in order that by the time they've made it down through the paper they are re-orienting. BUT how do you lift a box and plonk it on top without a ton of bees not perfectly staying put?!

Or do you have to leave a box for the flyers and deal with them another day, another way.

I now seem to be flush with queens now (ok bought two, mated a third, and in theory a fourth is out mating) but still can't bring myself to squish the nasty queen... although I rarely dare go in there now, I get a feeling they are superseding... so there is a coup afoot. Maybe I just stand back for another week. See what I find... and then get squishing!

(and p.s. Could the bottom box potentially start raising emergency queens while they are queenless - albeit with one above the paper.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

get everything ready for both sides of the unite and remove unwanted queen, wait until last thing in the evening or very early morning when the bees aren't flying - get the receiving colony ready (roof and crownboard off, newspaper then queen excluder on.
Quickly lift the donor colony off it's floor (crown board still on) and place it on top - job done.

 

[jeff33]

Squish her, remove any queen cells and re-queen. If they are superceding her you will still get her traits and they will still be nasty.
I am requeening 2 feisty hives. I did an AS 2 months ago and the new queen from the Q- half is producing some nasty off springs, worse than the other queen.

 

[Millet]

I see. I always wonder about this uniting business. I mean, ideally, you'd take all the flying bees in order that by the time they've made it down through the paper they are re-orienting. BUT how do you lift a box and plonk it on top without a ton of bees not perfectly staying put?!

Or do you have to leave a box for the flyers and deal with them another day, another way.

I now seem to be flush with queens now (ok bought two, mated a third, and in theory a fourth is out mating) but still can't bring myself to squish the nasty queen... although I rarely dare go in there now, I get a feeling they are superseding... so there is a coup afoot. Maybe I just stand back for another week. See what I find... and then get squishing!

(and p.s. Could the bottom box potentially start raising emergency queens while they are queenless - albeit with one above the paper.

Bees will not re orientate from the top box i have seen with my own eyes once they get through the news paper a good amount will go to the original spot, that is why you need to get the hives as close as possible 3ft ish to each other before the unite or take both three mile away, once you have united them send the other empty hive to Bolivia, just do it and see what happens then you have learned for good or bad from your own experiences.
and let them get on with it

 

[Erichalfbee]

JBM is right
Lifting the box in the evening when the bees have stopped flying will result in maybe one or two bees left on the floor. Remember to loosen the brood box from the floor in the afternoon
Unlike millet I have never had any returnees

 

[bjosephd]

Cool thanks guys. I'll keep you updated. Feel free to keep the thoughts coming in though!

And what about my nuc'd and laying queen to big colony?

 

[jeff33]

You will need to transfer the nuc into a brood box before uniting and same process. Push in cage for added peace of mind if you want.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Unlike millet I have never had any returnees

Neither have I

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

And what about my nuc'd and laying queen to big colony?

I thought that's what we have just discussed. the preparation beforehand bit includes putting the nuc into a full sized box for the unite

Push in cage for added peace of mind if you want.

why? achieves nothing in this case

 

[Millet]

JBM is right
Lifting the box in the evening when the bees have stopped flying will result in maybe one or two bees left on the floor. Remember to loosen the brood box from the floor in the afternoon
Unlike millet I have never had any returnees

JBM may be right but if i lift or touch anything my angry hive will spew out regardless from top or bottom, which sickens me at times from the amount that get splatted when closing up as they run like rats and fly like angry swallows making it impossible not to squish any.

On the returners side of things which i have learned from my own mistakes IS remove the old hive and even the hive stand once you have united. however do not listen to me i'm clueless and still learning.

 

[Millet]

Neither have I

I have so stick that in your pipe and smoke it, this means i have had something happen with bees that you have not, i feel blessed..

 

[Erichalfbee]

Your not clueless just unlucky

 

[Beefriendly]

Unless you have made (as I did) a board of National hive size that has recess to sit a nuc in on a bit of newspaper underneath (but not good in rainy weather!). Although these days I tend towards air freshener both colonies and stick together. Avoids those queen cells forming in the lower/upper box depending on which is Q-.
But I still stick with newspaper if it's a very important unite.

 

[Millet]

Your not clueless just unlucky

Both i Think ? however i will keep plugging away, Adapt Improvise Overcome is my motto these days.

 

[jeff33]

I thought that's what we have just discussed. the preparation beforehand bit includes putting the nuc into a full sized box for the unite



why? achieves nothing in this case

I tend to get extra cautious with a bought in queen!!

 

[Beefriendly]

I tend to get extra cautious with a bought in queen!!

Yes....now add in an expensive isolated mated queen and I get very nervous..so much so I don't introduce to a larger hive, just allow nucleus to become one. Which doesn't take long.

 

[Softley]

JBM may be right but if i lift or touch anything my angry hive will spew out regardless from top or bottom, which sickens me at times from the amount that get splatted when closing up as they run like rats and fly like angry swallows making it impossible not to squish any.

On the returners side of things which i have learned from my own mistakes IS remove the old hive and even the hive stand once you have united. however do not listen to me i'm clueless and still learning.

I've seen you talk about your angry bees a few times, have you not tried requeening?