Hey Everybody,
I've been doing a heap (well for a hobbyist it's a lot) of requeening of late - i have 23 hives that i'm currently re-queening. If a queen were going to be rejected would the attendants with her be rejected/killed also?
Now there's a question. I doubt it. But how would you keep an eye on the attendants to tell them from the other bees?
I would assume most rejection would occur through the cage with the bees stinging - that would mean you'd likely find the queen in the cage wouldnt you and probably dead workers... i'm not 100% sure - i'm just guessing here
Stingers ain't that long to reach a bee through the cage unless the bee inside was pressed up against the screen and not walking on it.
There is as much or more aggression shown toward attendants as there is toward the queen, that is why it is recommended they be removed before introducing the queen.
however....i think you'll find that very few of us go to the trouble of removing attendants. i have never even had anyone recommend it when i have (rarely) purchased queens.
just don't be in any hurry to release her. if they are queenless, they'll take to her and any attendants that are still alive soon enough...