air freshener introduction

[piggy]

I have made up some nucs and would like to introduce a virgin to each using air freshener,if this is possible . I have not tried this before, how do you do this, what air freshener is used and what is the likely acceptance rate. Thanks in advance.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I have made up some nucs and would like to introduce a virgin to each using air freshener,if this is possible . I have not tried this before, how do you do this, what air freshener is used and what is the likely acceptance rate. Thanks in advance.

NOT PUT NASTILY, read a book or two, eg Snelgrove "The introduction of Queen bees". It's not that simple. Your odds will be immeasurably enhanced if they are hopelessly Q- and know so. In the opposite case, all the air freshener in the world does not change the fact that it is an extreme gamble to do that and at least you need to cage etc.

And virgins are notoriously harder than LQs.

<ADD> This covers a lot of your bases: smoke, air freshener, your choice https://www.researchgate.net/public..._hives_have_been_queenless_for_2_days_or_more </ADD>

<ADDADD>I am assuming you do not mean mini-nucs? There you can just put them in with the wet bees.</ADDADD>

 

[piggy]

It would seem that you are not an advocate of this method then!

 

[Stiffy]

I have not used an air freshener to introduce a virgin queen before. Usually the use of air fresheners is for combining hives, one of which must be queen less. The fragrance I believe acts like a temporary barrier between the 2 hives but a lot less fuss than newspaper and makes the bees to 'combine' slowly.
If I wanted to introduce a virgin I would heavily smoke both nuc and queen run her in or I have been told that dipping her in syrup will work
S

 

[enrico]

I use Glade warm vanilla. I have not used it for introducing a virgin queen, I use it for most other things. A quick spray across the top of the box and a quick spray onto whatever you are adding. Added a queenless nuc to a full hive two days ago. Quick spray in each frame as I dropped it in. No fighting. All accepted .
Don't over do the spray. It doesn't take much.
Good luck and let us know if it works!!
E

 

[madasafish]

I don't use air freshener for queen introduction of any sort.
Virgin queen ? add honey. Works. Hive must be Q- - of course.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

It would seem that you are not an advocate of this method then!

No it's not a matter of HOW but understanding WHAT. Introducing VQs is notoriously hard. I have killed most I have tried. The bees "bust" you, kill her and raise EQC's on their sisters. Unless they are hopelessly Q-, then the odds improve. That will have a much bigger impact on success than the method. Or, you are better off doing the right thing in a careless way than the wrong thing however cleverly. Q--, drop away to your heart's content. A dunking in your mouth, as that Snelgrove book says, if all else fails...

 

[beeno]

I have made up some nucs and would like to introduce a virgin to each using air freshener,if this is possible . I have not tried this before, how do you do this, what air freshener is used and what is the likely acceptance rate. Thanks in advance.

Go for the QCs if not too late much better success rate. Cue the pros pls!

 

[piggy]

I usually use cells but sometimes life gets in the way of the best laid plans, hence on this occasion I will be using virgins. I have made up 5 Q- nuclei in which I will introduce a virgin Q. Will try 2 with air freshener, 2 with smoke and 1 dunked in honey. They have plenty of food so will introduce and then leave well alone for over 14days. Nothing ventured nothing gained!
.

 

[Hivemaker.]

They are easy to directly introduce, no need for smoking, dipping, dunking or spraying with air freshener.

 

[For want of a better word]

Two weeks ago I ran a virgin queen directly into a queenless colony.....sealed queen cell removed from another colony was destined to go in complete, but VQ crept out in my hand... today eggs and uncapped brood... something worked.. no smoke... as usual as smoker had gone out!

Yeghes da

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

They are easy to directly introduce, no need for smoking, dipping, dunking or spraying with air freshener.

Pete, conditional on hopelessly Q-, right?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Pete, conditional on hopelessly Q-, right?

You need to make sure there is no other queen in there, yes.

 

[Poly Hive]

Expound please?

PH

 

[oliver90owner]

All this discussion of a simple ruse to combine bees of two different families! Not for queen introduction, just tp avoid differently smelling bees fighting each other ,as in open warfare.

Do try to keep beekeeping simple. It works.

 

[maddydog]

No it's not a matter of HOW but understanding WHAT. Introducing VQs is notoriously hard. I have killed most I have tried. The bees "bust" you, kill her and raise EQC's on their sisters. Unless they are hopelessly Q-, then the odds improve. That will have a much bigger impact on success than the method. Or, you are better off doing the right thing in a careless way than the wrong thing however cleverly. Q--, drop away to your heart's content. A dunking in your mouth, as that Snelgrove book says, if all else fails...

Introducing a virgin q to a colony with eggs in is asking for trouble?

This year I'm debating whether to go the virgin or QC route. I've constructed an incubator using a poly hive, heat mat, and a good old stc1000. I'm hoping to raise 40+ queens so I'll try both and compare.

No air freshener for me though, I'll run a vq into a cup of wet bees.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Do try to keep beekeeping simple. It works.

I reckon it could not be more simple:

For a new queen*:

- You can do what you like in a hive or nuc with no queen or young brood
- You can do all but nowt in one with a queen or young brood

For an old queen it is all a bit less hard.

*Virgin, in case the words of one syllable here risk confusion.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Introducing a virgin q to a colony with eggs in is asking for trouble?

This year I'm debating whether to go the virgin or QC route. I've constructed an incubator using a poly hive, heat mat, and a good old stc1000. I'm hoping to raise 40+ queens so I'll try both and compare.

No air freshener for me though, I'll run a vq into a cup of wet bees.

Then how will there be eggs?

 

[maddydog]

Then how will there be eggs?

There won't be when I do it. It was you who said 'the bees kill the virgin and raise emergency QCs from their sisters'

 

[Finman]

.
Piggy has 40 hives and he asked, how to introduce virgins into nucs. Is he serious...?
He has got good explanations from beginners.