Can I move a queen between apiaries whilst she is still in the process of mating.

[Andy]

I have some queens I moved in apideas to a friends place. They will potentially be mating at the moment. Can I move them back here before she has mated? Will she reorientate like the other foragers ?

 

[Anduril]

@enrico moved hives from Shropshire to Somerset while queens were in mating mode and it didn't go as planned.
You may find you will lose the queens because they have oriented to the one spot.

 

[enrico]

@enrico moved hives from Shropshire to Somerset while queens were in mating mode and it didn't go as planned.
You may find you will lose the queens because they have oriented to the one spot.

How right. The queens were there but the following spring they were useless, all badly mated and I ended up with all bar one hive as drone layers. You have a good memory Anduril. That was eight years ago!

 

[Andy]

How right. The queens were there but the following spring they were useless, all badly mated and I ended up with all bar one hive as drone layers. You have a good memory Anduril. That was eight years ago!

Thanks all. Even though it is a bit of a pain I think I’ll leave them at my mates then. With the nice weather finally at least I hope they will mate quickly.

 

[jarmo henttu]

I have some queens I moved in apideas to a friends place. They will potentially be mating at the moment. Can I move them back here before she has mated? Will she reorientate like the other foragers ?

Why you are so in a hurry. Just wait few days.