I just put two packages into two seperate hives 2 days ago. I noticed one hive didn't have any bees going in or out so I opened up the hive and there were maybe six bees in the whole hive. I noticed the queen container had dropped to the bottom of the hive, the screen side was facing up though. The queen and the few worker bees are still alive in the little queen container. Did they reject the queen? The queen and the worker bees were in the package container for 2 days while they were being shipped. Did the worker bees move to the other hive next to it? What are my options with the queen? How long can she live in the little container? Not sure what to do with the rejected queen at this point.
>Did they reject the queen?
Sort of. If they had really rejected her they would have killed her.
> The queen and the worker bees were in the package container for 2 days while they were being shipped. Did the worker bees move to the other hive next to it?
Yes.
> What are my options with the queen?
If you have some hives you can put a frame of open brood in with her and a frame with honey in it and shake in some bees from the one they moved into.
> How long can she live in the little container?
If there is candy, attendants and you give them a drop of water every day, maybe a couple of weeks. If you replace the attendants after a couple of weeks, a couple more weeks.
> Not sure what to do with the rejected queen at this point.
If you have the resources you can start a nuc.
Thanks for the reply. These were my first hives, so I don't have any other hives to take some open brood or honey to try and shake some of the bees back in with her. I was asking how long the queen could live in the little container to see if it might be possible to get another package of bees without a queen to try it again. Is it possible if I can keep her alive long enough to take a frame from the other new hive and then put the frame in with her and shake some of the bees back into it. I was just hoping to try and get two hives established this summer. Did the queen container being on the bottom of the hive lead to the bees leaving? All the information I have read said to hang the queen container from the frames, so I am not sure with it being on the bottom led them to leave. Just rying to learn more and not make to many costly mistakes.
QuoteIs it possible if I can keep her alive long enough to take a frame from the other new hive and then put the frame in with her and shake some of the bees back into it.
yes, and no reason to wait. worst that will happen is that bees will leave again.
QuoteDid the queen container being on the bottom of the hive lead to the bees leaving
unlikely. more likely that bees were shipped in connected packages? and the bees locked on to the other queens scent for some reason. if you re-establish the hive, try moving them a bit away.
QuoteJust rying to learn more and not make to many costly mistakes.
good luck with that. the more you learn, the more you try. new mistakes are discovered! :-D
Thaks for the additional response. If I go ahead and try to reestablish the hive with the queen, do I want to close off the entrance and use an internal feeder so they can't leave immediatly? If so how long should I leave the entrance closed? I will try this tomorrow, I am hoping the other queen has not been able to get out of the queen cage from the first hive so I can make sure I don't shake her into the reestablished hive. How far should I move the reestablished hive away?
Thanks