Hi & dead bees in failed walkaway split

[rue]

Hi I have been keeping bee's in Perth Hills for around 18months.  I still feel very much a newbee!  I tried to split my hive a few weeks back by taking larvae, eggs, honey x 2 frames (one with room for them to fill) in a nuke hive next door to my my big hive.  I knew it wouldnt work because the eggs weren't there as hoped for just larvae and capped brood.  I only got to the egg frame last and thought I would persevere.  Learning for next time.  Get eggs and if none there yet wait!!! A friend has now offered me a queen and nuke hive which I am waiting for in the next few weeks.  I checked the nuke box I split into today.  The workers are still there but no queen.  I was told the workers would keep working it until they die.  However some of the capped brood bees have tried to get out but have died.  Their heads are sticking out.  Only a small proportion have done this the others seem to have not matured/died and are still capped.  The honey frames are still in there.  There is no sign of disease in either hive.  The big one is very strong.  Any info gratefully received. While I dont feel great for killing baby bees I am also worried that I might be bringing in desease or something that will negatively impact on the rest of my girls (& boys).  I use the langsroth system.

[Culley]

I'm new to making nucs, too.

I made some nucs with swarm cells this year and they are doing well. I made them up with three frames of capped brood, one frame of honey, one empty frame. I made sure there was pollen in there too, and I shook some extra young bees in too. I used 5 frame deep nuc boxes. I wasn't sure what size you were using?

A new nuc isn't in a great position to rear a queen. They have to feed it properly and keep it warm/cool enough. Better to give a queen or a queen cell to the nuc.

Your capped bees might have died if they got too cold (or too hot? ) because of not enough bees in there looking after them?

I don't think you'd introduce disease by making a split like this. I guess you have to choose, are you going to persevere with this nuc (give them more brood, bees, and a queen or the eggs/larvae to make a queen) or are you going to combine them back into the strong hive?

Edit:

Also, welcome to the forum. Why not post an in introduction in the Welcome forum, and put your location in your profile.  :)

[rue]

Thank you.  We have had very up and down weather since I set up the nuc some weeks ago- a very hot day and sudden cooler ones than expected.  The nucleus box I have I bought at the beeshop but I think its a bit flimsy- made of ply and probably more for transporting a new nuc maybe???  I have a good new brood box with queen excluder and roof.  I think I will introduce the queen and her entourage (its is actually a small nuc group) to the worker bees still there.  I might put them all in a brood box.  Its 8 frame while the other is 4.  Its warm here and will be getting warmer.  I will say Hi yes a good idea.  Later .  Thanks again