It's not "Long live the queen". It's more like how long can the queen live?

[Stone]

In error, I was shipped two queens earlier than I had needed them.  The supplier - a very reputable one - said, it's okay, you can give them to some other beekeeper. There will be no charge for these. So I'm scratching my head about how long they will live until I find someone who'll need them or until I can make use of them myself.

I won't be able to get to my hives until Saturday and these two queens have been in their cages since shipment last Thursday - a week to date.  One queen has only one surviving attendant.  The other queen has all four.  I've been feeding them honey and pollen all the while.

My other question is this: Even if they do survive, will they be too weakened or stressed to perform or even be accepted?  I intended to re-queen three of my colonies anyway but it would be terrible if I removed the queens from two of my healthy colonies now only to find the new queens not accepted.

Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

[hardwood]

Make splits from you existing colonies and use them there.

Scott

[Stone]

Hardwood,

I've been seriously considering that, but my colonies weren't quite ready for it when I was there last Saturday.  They came limping out of the winter and I wanted them to get stronger first.  The weather here has been awful.  April was a complete washout.  It's been unseasonably cold and I think we've only had 3 days this month that hasn't rained. I haven't even gotten the local nucs I ordered for this reason.  Everything is late by one month.

But my original questions still stand.  Is it too late and are they "damaged goods"?  Thanks.