3/4 of the Bees are Gone!

[vmi1839]

Performed a log cut-out last weekend that went very well.  The bees were hived and kept at a friends place for the past week (the cut-out was done at his place).

Friday evening, the hive was deliverd to my property and all seemed well. I happened to notice yesterday morning that there were very few, if any, bees at the entrace to the hive and no bees coming or going.

During the afternoon I took a peek in the hive and 3/4 of the bees were gone! I also noticed that the bees in my other hive (very active and healthy) were quite beside themselves that I was in the vicinity and made it known that they wanted me to leave (after being stung five times, I decided to listen to them).

Did I do something wrong? Did my hive swarm? Are the bees remaining in the hive from my other hive and they're just robbing what the other bees left behind?

We never were sure if we got the queen on the cut-out but we did find eggs and capped brood (which was placed in folding frames and put into their new home).

Any ideas?

Rick

[deerhunter]

Sometimes bees just dont like a certain box and will leave for no reason.

I had a swarm I placed back in a box 3 times before I decided to just let it go.

[Brian D. Bray]

Bees can be picky tenents.  They will abscond if they don't like the accommidations for some reason. 

If you do a cut out of any kind, try to use an excluder as an includer, and put as much of the comb as possible (especially brood combs)
into the frames and hold them their with rubber bands or string.  The bees will tiddy it all up.

It is also possible, from your discription, that the feral hive decided it liked the other hive better and took it over.

[chad]

I just had the same thing happen.I removed bees and comb from under a house.I got them all home,hived them for a week,everything  was going great!!Bees were perfect,when I removed them I could just pick handfuls of them up with no stings.didn't even need to wear a veil.Well Monday 3/4 of them took off.I hope the ones that are left will make a queen.I am seriously bummed.

[asprince]

I have had that same experience twice. I think they were queenless and chose to join my other hives.

Steve

[chad]

My problem is its my only hive.