Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Alas! Brood transplant failed

One week ago, I transplanted a frame of brood with all its nurse bees from #1 into the long lang.  I spritzed everyone with homemade honey-b-healthy in hopes that their hive odor would be covered up and they would share scents by grooming off the sugar.  I saw no fighting at the entrance for the next day, so I had hopes that things were peaceful inside.
However (and I know you are not surprised- the title is a spoiler), it did not work out a planned.
This is the transplanted frame today.  I have not moved the bees.  As you experienced hive examiners can see, there are no nurse bees on all that brood.  Brood without cover will die from cold.  You can see some uncapped cells as well.  There were some partially emerged.dead bees.
Now what?  I intend to just let this colony try to make it.  If it dies out, I will make a split from #1.  If #1 swarms, I will try to capture it and either put it in a nuc, or maybe figure out how to put it into the long lang. 
Of course, if any of you have a suggestion, please share it.

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