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I purchased 4 packages with marked queens on May 11th. Results vary greatly between the 4 hives. Hive #1 looks good with capped brood on about 2/3rds of both sides of 2 frames (as of this past weekend. Hive #2 is stronger and has 3 frames similarly covered. #Hive 3 (which I could not prove had a queen, let alone a marked queen in the queen cage) has finally managed to cover at least half of both sides of one frame with capped brood. so there must been a queen but sure didn't appear that way! Hive #4, which did have an obviously marked queen, has no capped brood and is a gross case of laying queens with multiple eggs, and lava and eggs in the same cell. When I first checked, all queen cages were empty with no dead bees in them
NOW: 3 questions: What are my options with the laying queens in a queenless hive? My cousin in Maine say only hope is to take the frames from that hive at least 40 feet away and shake all the bees off, and that they will be absorbed by the other hives. Also, would you normally expect the seller of the packages to have any obligation to replace or refund? Is it possible, although it seems unlikely, that the queen from hive 4 moved over to hive 3? All hives are in a row with about one foot space between, and all facing easterly.
NOW: 3 questions: What are my options with the laying queens in a queenless hive? My cousin in Maine say only hope is to take the frames from that hive at least 40 feet away and shake all the bees off, and that they will be absorbed by the other hives. Also, would you normally expect the seller of the packages to have any obligation to replace or refund? Is it possible, although it seems unlikely, that the queen from hive 4 moved over to hive 3? All hives are in a row with about one foot space between, and all facing easterly.
Hello, first of all, depending on how reputable the seller was, perhaps they will supply a new Queen. However purchased on May 11 they may balk. Really depends on who you got them from.
Secondly you could buy a new Queen and try to introduce her to the hive for acceptance.
Thirdly, you could transfer a frame of eggs from an adjoining hive and perhaps the hive will propogate a new Queen. This takes time for a new Queen to be born, mate, and then start laying eggs, and then 21more days for the workers to emerge. (40 + days total)
I would try to introduce a new queen. Good luck, Peter
Secondly you could buy a new Queen and try to introduce her to the hive for acceptance.
Thirdly, you could transfer a frame of eggs from an adjoining hive and perhaps the hive will propogate a new Queen. This takes time for a new Queen to be born, mate, and then start laying eggs, and then 21more days for the workers to emerge. (40 + days total)
I would try to introduce a new queen. Good luck, Peter
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