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ocba - [ocba] Queen released by mistake

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Subject: Orange County, NC Beekeepers

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  • From: Jim Evans <jevans20 AT gmail.com>
  • To: Orange Beekeepers <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [ocba] Queen released by mistake
  • Date: Sun, 29 Mar 2015 18:05:31 -0400

I'm beginning my second year.  One of two hives survived the winter.  Today, I installed two packages - using drawn comb from the hive that did not survive the winter. (I put those frames in the freezer during the winter to kill off pests.)  

One package install went as planned. When installing one of the packages, I mistakenly removed the cork on the wrong end of the queen cage and released the queen about 20 feet from the hive.  I never saw her.  I put the bees in the box and set up the feeder.   What are the chances that the queen will find her way to the correct hive? (There are now three separate hives.)  Or, am I adding the purchase of a queen to my "to do" list this week?  

I considered taking a few frames of brood from the established hive so the bees could make a queen, however, that queen has started slowly.  There are eggs, larvae, and capped brood but not prolific and find no drone cells.  

Thanks in advance,

Jim Evans
jevans20 AT gmail.com
919-949-7362
 



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