One of my packages had a dead queen. I shook out most of the package into a hive body below another package and separated with newspaper, then I set the package cage minus the queen cage (which I had to return to get a new queen) near the hive entrance. The next day I returned and found a good sized cluster of bees outside in the old package cage. It has been in the low 40's here in WI, if they were queenless why didn't they go into the hive that I shook most of them into? What can I do to insure my replacement queen isn't killed when she arrives?
I know I sound like a broken record on this, but perhaps a mother queen was shook into the package when being made. This could explain why the cage queen died and if the mother queen remained in the package cage why the cluster formed in it.
I would make sure all the bees in the package cage are put in the hive and then check for eggs in a couple of days.
rob...
what did you do with that clump of bees? never assume that they are dead! they tend to miraculously revive when they warm up, much to the distress of those of us who have brought "dead" bees into the house for one reason or another. :-D
I enclosed the whole package in another hive body with food and a few frames of undrawn foundation. I didn't shake them in because it was only in the 40's here. I will receive my new queen tomorrow. Should I make a nuc with her and wait to see if I find eggs in the other hive? I'd hate to have her get killed too.
Last year one of the 3#ers that I bought had 2 queens both alive. One marked and caged and one unmarked and loose. I installed the caged one as usual and shook the bees over her. A bunch still remained in the package so I just rested it against the front of the hive and moved on to the next. When I finish with the others I went back to this one. The cluster had moved out of the package and rested one the hive stand. I scooped up a bunch with the wood cover from the package and poured it in front of the enterance. Out of the scoop came a big queen that ran into the hive. She ended up being the rule of the roost and killed the marked queen.