Two more queens

[Outlander]

I had moved some queens out of the apidea’s earlier this month but left the eggs they had laid in them. I now have two more new queens; I could use one in a colony that has turned nasty in the past two weeks, the other I was thinking about making a nuc up and overwintering. Would you consider it two late for this, If not I may consider making up two and leaving the HELL bees until spring, Weather is still very nice here and reports are it is to remain so for the next couple of weeks. Thoughts please.

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

Are the new queens mated. If so, how about removing the nasty queen for a few days so the hive is queen less. Then split that hive in two and introduce the new queens caged, one in each nuc. Build the nucs up to go into winter, then the same in spring, then move into full hives next year...

 

[oliver90owner]

Queens raised from eggs in apidea?

You should not be too surprised if the are small and find their way through a Q/E? Might be OK, or might not pose a problem to you, but just a thought.

RAB

 

[masterBK]

If you remove a queen then these tiny colonies do tend to produce one or two emergency cells. Queens raised by Apidea etc tend to be underfed and small as a result ie scrub queens. I have just destroyed two such queens this week as I take my Apidea out of circulation. I put all the combs and bees from up to Ten Apideas together in a suitably modified national super (they unite without any problems) and then paper unite the super above an excluder to another colony. When all the brood has hatched out the combs can then be taken off the colony, put into the freezer overnight to kill any moth and put into moth proof storage til next year.

 

[Outlander]

I think both Bee-Key-Pur and Rab are right. I checked them both Monday and not much happening. Will give them until this coming Monday which will be around three weeks and make a final decision then.