I took a 5 frame box and a 3 frame box ,went to a exterior hive and took brood comb and empty comb.
I then swept bee's in both box's, closed each up with screen.
The next morning 16 to 18 hrs. later I opened each one and put in a caged queen
The majority of bees in each box left within a few Hours
why would they do this? One box is in the same yard as the bee tree.
The other is 20 miles away
I was thinking the brood would keep them, the Queen would seal the Deal
Now I have two box's with queens and about a frame of bees in each.
Man does this burn my roids
Thanks for any and all Ideas
Tommyt
I have no idea. I have only had a nuc abscond once when I was dumb enough to make one with their own queen and no brood thinking I could fool them into thinking they swarmed like an idot. I cant belive both absconded. I can see the one that was left in the same yard but both, hmm.
Id call it bad luck and sweep it under the carpet. Oh, dont tell anyone it happened.
I'm glad you think its odd also :?
I figured I did something wrong
Thanks
Tom
Quote from: Tommyt on April 06, 2011, 08:32:29 AM
I figured I did something wrong
You did! :lau:
:pop:
What age brood did you use?
Some of it was Capped and Larva
could have been eggs I didn't
look that hard enough
I figured the bees would stay on
long enough and the new queen would
Seal the deal
Tommyt
I too have put bees in new nuc in same yard only to have them leave maybe some one wiser will enlighten us
Dave
Sounds like Bjorn has the answer if he's willing to share.
Quote from: Course Bee on April 07, 2011, 05:02:17 PM
Sounds like Bjorn has the answer if he's willing to share.
He's worried MB will pipe in :-D
Some forget its a learning Forum :roll:
Also winter Blues, Cabin Fever is dissipating.
Tommyt
A few questions and thoughts to think about:
1. By exterior hive do you mean a cut out or a hive in your bee yard?
2. Why did you divide a mass of workers into 2 clumps?
3. Capped brood with not hold queens or workers, that takes eggs or larvae.
4. Space is a critical factor when hiving bees and getting them to accept the new digs, unless they are reared in such. A 5 frame deep nuc is about the minimum a swarm will find acceptable, or 2 medium nucs.
5. Why was the 24 hour rule short changed?
6. Were you aware Bees often reject a queen, absconding in the process.
7. Did you know that bees have been known to abscond even after apparently accepting a new hive, leaving behind partially drawn comb.
8. What is the forage in the area like, to little forage would force the bees to abscond.