How long to wait before introducing Queen

[Spikedog]

We may be ‘removing’ a somewhat erratic laying Queen. We have ladies in waiting in Apideas . How long do we leave the Colony Queenless before it’s safe to introducing (Bulter cage) the new regime?

 

[Amari]

24 hours. New queens are accepted more readily at this time of year cf. spring.

 

[Hawklord]

I remove old queen, spray the whole colony with peppermint oil diluted in water, spray the butler cage at the same time and pop it inbetween the 2 frames where the old queen was.

 

[masterBK]

Butler cage made of metal mesh? Problem with Butler cage is that agressive bees will bite the feet off the queen (so less footprint pheromone). Best to use a cage with a protected area within the cage where the queen can avoid being chewed eg plastic travelling /intro cage with fondant release.

 

[beeno]

Hi masterBK,
Just a thought, in leaving a colony -Q for 24hrs what are the chances of them starting emergency QCs and preferring to raise their own queen and killing the introduced foreign queen?

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Recommended reading

https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/ga...8-hbee-direct-queen-introduction.pdf&site=398

 

[Hawklord]

Butler cage made of metal mesh? Problem with Butler cage is that agressive bees will bite the feet off the queen (so less footprint pheromone). Best to use a cage with a protected area within the cage where the queen can avoid being chewed eg plastic travelling /intro cage with fondant release.

I use the JZBZ type.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

We may be ‘removing’ a somewhat erratic laying Queen. We have ladies in waiting in Apideas . How long do we leave the Colony Queenless before it’s safe to introducing (Bulter cage) the new regime?

Couple of hours.

as with others use soething like a JzBz cage.

Remove queen, leave a couple of hours,put in new queen with the candy plug covered (JzBz cages come with a plastic cap for the purpose) leave them settle down for 24-48 hours then remove cap and leave them to it

 

[beeno]

Hi TTLTB,
Thanks for submitting the study. Yep, I have done direct introduction of queen after leaving made up nuc -Q for 24 hrs. I watched her being accepted in my queen marking tube and let her out after 30 seconds. No smoke or spray.
However, in uniting the now -Q colony with a +Q colony they made emergency QC and did not bother to unite? So, I sprayed with sugar water and layered the frames after removing all the QCs. I have also found that if you put a frame of eggs into a colony which you have made -Q they only make eggs from that frame if they are hopelessly -Q preferring their own eggs. Exceptions to the rule?

 

[Hebeegeebee]

https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/ga...8-hbee-direct-queen-introduction.pdf&site=398

I did this plenty of times last year with 100 % success.

 

[kazmcc]

https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/ga...8-hbee-direct-queen-introduction.pdf&site=398

Very interesting read. Thank you for posting.

 

[Hivemaker.]

We may be ‘removing’ a somewhat erratic laying Queen. We have ladies in waiting in Apideas . How long do we leave the Colony Queenless before it’s safe to introducing (Bulter cage) the new regime?

Seven days.

 

[beeno]

Seven days.

Is that to make sure that they are hopelessly queenless?

 

[Fatbee]

But they probably won't be because would imagine there would be emergency queen cells. Knock them down after 7 days then they're hopelessly queenless I would say

 

[Hawklord]

My method can be done in 1 visit. I don't even leave the candy plug covered.

 

[beeno]

But they probably won't be because would imagine there would be emergency queen cells. Knock them down after 7 days then they're hopelessly queenless I would say

That's what I was hoping one of the guru's would confirm. No disrespect intended.

 

[Fatbee]

None taken! We'll await to see if our assumption is confirmed

 

[Hivemaker.]

But they probably won't be because would imagine there would be emergency queen cells. Knock them down after 7 days then they're hopelessly queenless I would say

Yes, to make sure they are queenless, and have no means of producing one after emergency cells are destroyed.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

But in this particular case the old queen will have been removed and decorating a gatepost, so no need to wait seven days to confirm.
Unless you're alluding to one of these 'perfect supersedures' that some keep twittering on about?

 

[thorn]

How long has the present queen been "somewhat erratic"? Is it worth putting her in a small nuc with some assistants and some stores to see if she improves with time?