Hi guys,
I had a hive where I found the queen dead on the bottom board.
Then I ordered a new mated Buckfast queen from Ontario. But before the new queen arrived the queenlees hive had already started to provide for a new queen. When my new queen got here,the old hive has brood in all stages. She lays like mad.
Now I like to start a small new hive. I made a small 3 frame hive from high density foam. Put two frames with honey,pollen and some eggs. I hung the new queen in her shipping cage,between two frames.I did not wait for these two frames to come to the conlussion that the had no queen. Will this work,if the queen stays in the cage for a couple of days?
I was looking for a fast way to do this.
Thanks for your help.
OpaVP
Sounds like that should work if they haven't started to make a new queen yet. You might need to supplement the small nuc with a frame or two of sealed brood until the new queen really ramps up. Keep the new queen caged and observe their behavior. Are they feeding her? Do they look like they're trying to bit or sting through the cage?
Scott