Question about long term cutout success

[gardeningfireman]

Last year, I did three cutouts. Got the queen every time. Two absconded within a month, the third died over this winter. What is the general long term success rate for a cutout colony compared to a swarm or a nuc from "domestic" hive? I want to do a lot more removals this year, but don't want to keep losing them after all that work. Thanks for any input!

[JP]

My success rate is very good, could be for a variety of reasons: the bees themselves, the attention I give them,  geographical location, removal method, type of equipment, how they overwintered etc...

The more mistakes you learn from the better it gets.

Our bees here rarely abscond but I know other beekeepers whose bees can't stay put and queens have to be clipped.

Ask yourself why those hives absconded? Why didn't they make it?
There will lie some of your answers.


...JP

[iddee]

I have removed diseased hives, failed to get queens, had them dwindle from the start and die, Etc. I have only had 2 to abscond in all my years of removals. One in my friend's yard and one the customer kept. I have never had a queenright hive abscond from my yard. I have had queenless hives take up with the hive next door.