I just switched an extremely strong hive with the hive next to it which was sort of plodding along. A lot of bees at the strong hive were bearding and didn't move with the boxes. Will they go in and kill the queen in the switched weak hive? I am terrified that I did the wrong thing. There are eggs in the weak hive so they could make an emergency queen, but I so don't want to have done the wrong thing.....
Should I go switch them back to protect the queen?
Linda T
Leave the hives as they are.
The returning bees are confused, loaded down with pollen and nectar, and probably not interested in the queen. They are not usually aggressive and not looking to kill the different bees or the queen. Her bees, being the nurse bees and attendants, are around her. They will protect her.
I equalize nucs all the time in this manner. And do not lose queens switching locations.
No, You did good. I switch positions with strong hives and weaker hives regularly with no issues. The forging bees will return to the weaker hive and boost it up.
Good Luck, Steve
I tell myself over and over that everyone does this, but when I do it, I feel like the biggest klutz and the bees acted like all hell was breaking loose when I moved the boxes. It was a tornado of bees around me the whole time. It looks calmer out there and maybe all will be alright, but I left the situation full of doubt.
In five years of beekeeping this is the first time I've done this.
Linda T in Atlanta
Talk about a tornado of bees, I just shook out a laying worker hive. All those bees with no home to return to are very confused. They will find a new home in my other hives by dark.
Happy that it worked out good for you.
Steve
I have watched and they do ball the queen. Which I suppose means she's at risk, but I can't remember ever losing one this way.
Michael, I always appreciate it so much when you chime in. I haven't checked the hives since I switched the hive positions last weekend. I'll check on Sunday afternoon and see what's what. Obviously many of the foragers from the strong hive came to their original position so I can see an increase in hive population for the formerly weak hive, but whether they balled the queen or not is yet unknown.
Linda T in Atlanta
If you do see balling, don't try to intervene. If the bees wanted the queen dead, they could kill her in a second. 9 out of 10 balling events, results in queens laying eggs in a few more days. Good Luck.