Will an old queen return to the hive?

[Greg Peck]

I was re queening a hive that I had who's queen was not laying. I had a spare queen so I decided to requeen the hive. I thought I would keep the old queen and put her in a nuc to give her another chance to start laying. I caught her in a queen catching hair clip thing and set her aside. I put the new queen in the hive in her cage and closed things up. I was going to put the old queen in a old cage to take her home. I had some difficulty getting her in and finally dumper her on the ground then cupped my hand over her and put the cage between my fingers and she ran right in. Then I did the same thing with a nurse bee. I was attempting to get a second nurse in when the queen ran out the hole in the other side of the cage. I had assumed that there was a cork in the other hole but there was not so she ran through and out the other side and flew off into the woods.

So will she come back? I hope not because I dont want her. I should have just pinched her. She never did lay any eggs, I think she did not get mated or something. The hive was moved to a new location a week ago and she had been in the hive at the old location for several weeks prior to the move. So she would have done her mating flights at the old location. Should I check for her tomorrow in the hive? If she comes back will she kill the new queen or because she sucks will the bees side with the new one?

Sad thing is I have 100 new plastic cages at home I just never put then in my bee box  :'(

Thanks
Greg

[randydrivesabus]

i would try to find her tomorrow in the hive.

[Robo]

Nothing is certain,  but there is a good chance she will return.   I have had them fly off while try to cage/mark/etc and they usually circle around and fly back to the hive.  Sounds like she flew off quite a ways or did you just loose sight of her?  I would definitely check back as I assume the new queen is still caged and you can perhaps alleviate a confrontation if she does come back as the workers are likely to kill your new queen.   Was the queen marked so you could easily find her if she did come back?  Yet another reason for marked queens  :evil:


A safe way to introduce a queen and still allow the old one to continue to lay is with the double screen method.  http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/queen-introduction/

[jason58104]

I would confirm her presence in the nuc and then move it at least 4 miles away.

[Greg Peck]

She came back. Or there was two of them in the hive. Either way no one was laying eggs and the new queen had not been released yet so I caught the old queen and easily caged her in the new queen cage. So she is hanging out in the cupboard for a little while until I figure out what to do with her.

[Robo]

If she is more than 3 weeks old and not laying I would suggest disposing of her.