# Small Amount of Bees Survival?



## JLMissouri (Dec 12, 2012)

So I answered an ad on Craigslist where someone had cut a tree down and there were some bees in the tree. It was about 30 degrees when I went to get the bees. When the tree fell it broke apart and all the comb slapped together killing most of the bees. I have about two cups of bees that I placed with the best sections of comb into a Langstroth hive with two frames removed so I could get the comb in.

I collected about two Walmart sacks full of damaged comb. I placed some of this honeycomb into the hive so the bees had something to eat. Can this small of an amount of bees survive? I didn't notice a queen, the bees have stayed clustered together on one of the pieces of comb I placed in the hive. I didn't want to disturb them, figured they had been through enough.

I have the hive in my mudroom and will move in out when the weather improves. Figured they would have a better shot in a warmer area. I have a package of bees coming, but would like two hives going if I can get these to make it. Any advice? Thanks


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## Earthling (Mar 6, 2014)

They are not likely to survive. Chances are good the queen is not in there. Was there any capped brood that you managed to save? If so, their survival will be prolonged until you can combine them with your new hive because new bees will be hatching shortly. For the hive to survive without the queen and totally on their own, you would had to have saved some cells with fresh eggs in them that the workers could use to raise a queen. That would be some luck if you did because at thirty degrees, any fresh eggs would not survive long and it's possible the capped brood wouldn't either.

I think the best you could hope for is to see if they can hold on long enough to combine with another hive. Two cups of bees ain't much...


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## JLMissouri (Dec 12, 2012)

Earthling said:


> They are not likely to survive. Chances are good the queen is not in there. Was there any capped brood that you managed to save? If so, their survival will be prolonged until you can combine them with your new hive because new bees will be hatching shortly. For the hive to survive without the queen and totally on their own, you would had to have saved some cells with fresh eggs in them that the workers could use to raise a queen. That would be some luck if you did because at thirty degrees, any fresh eggs would not survive long and it's possible the capped brood wouldn't either.
> 
> I think the best you could hope for is to see if they can hold on long enough to combine with another hive. Two cups of bees ain't much...


Yeah kinda what I thought as well. There is one comb mostly undamaged with brood, but I am not sure if it would have made it through the cold. I figured I would check for a queen this spring, if she is there I will let them try and recover, if not I will combine them with the bees I am getting. Thanks,


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## RaigenB (Apr 8, 2013)

If you didn't find a queen, chances are slim. Like above, if you grabbed some capped brood, it would help.


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