Inserting a new queen

[JC Bees]

One of our hives are filled with vicious little she devils - really mean critters. They attack like stukas!! We were advised to change the queen. So off we go buy a new queen (white spot number 46) in her little box with candy. Find the existing queen we're told, kill it (cripes!!) and insert the new queen still in her box and hey Bob's your uncle she eats through the candy and into the hive and anything is hunky dory. When arrived home, the queen bee looked nearly dead - just moving a leg or two, but after been warmed up she seems pretty lively (you won't guess where we put the box to warm her up). Gave her a drop of water. We will insert the box tomorrow and see what happens - though I'm not too sure how to fixed the box. We'll let you know what happens. Any comments in the mean time? We're real beginners but practice makes perfect (maybe!)

 

[drstitson]

hang between top bars to let bees get used to her.

then open a bit to reveal candy or snap open end.

 

[JC Bees]

Thanks I'll let you know what happens. The biggest joke will be trying to find the existing queen whilst being dive bombed

 

[jezd]

did she have attendant workers with her? (the new queen) you never mentioned.

Mated queen are fed, they dont feed directly themselves nor do they eat the fondant, the workers in the new hive will release her.

You gave the queen water? why?

JD

 

[JC Bees]

Sorry didn't say - yep she had 5 attendants with her. As for the water - the bee shop who sold us the queen advised us to give her a drop of water. Thanks for your other comments - just goes to show how much there is to learn, the whole subjet just grows. Wonderful. Thanks

 

[susbees]

....and is about to grow a bit further.

First, if there are any QCs in the box they won't accept a new queen.

Second, most like to introduce to a nuc-sized colony then unite later. Better chance of success, especially if the queen hasn't gone a full brood cycle (max pheromones).

Third, you need to let them go Q- for 24 hours before you try to add the new queen well-secured in her box. Too little time and the workers will bite the cage/damage the queen/kill her.

And don't forget the divide and conquer rule...

 

[JC Bees]

This is getting interesting - who said beekeeping was boring. Time consuming but not boring.
There's no QCs in the box (I guess you mean queen cells). There was one when we visited the box yesterday evening but we took it off. Didn't find the existing queen though.
For your scond point - I think we're going to try that. How does one know when the queen has gone the full brood cycle? (Beginner asking here).
Thanks for your help.

 

[susbees]

For your scond point - I think we're going to try that. How does one know when the queen has gone the full brood cycle? (Beginner asking here).
Thanks for your help.

When the queen you are introducing has laid eggs which have developed through to hatching in say a mininuc or nuc. Responsible queen rearers don't sell queens until this stage as the chances of acceptance are greater. Also introducing a similar strain of bee helps. The pheromones increase from when she's a virgin and pretty much ignored through to full throttle layer so to speak.

 

[JC Bees]

Thanks - will let you what happens in the end

 

[susbees]

When the queen you are introducing has laid eggs which have developed through to hatching in say a mininuc or nuc. Responsible queen rearers don't sell queens until this stage as the chances of acceptance are greater. Also introducing a similar strain of bee helps. The pheromones increase from when she's a virgin and pretty much ignored through to full throttle layer so to speak.

That should have said the brood hatching into bees. Sorry.

 

[keith pierce]

if they are that vicios they will tear throght the candy in 20 minutes just to get at her. better to keep her trapped in the cage for 3 or four days to let them get use to her, then open the flap and let them eat through the candy.

 

[MJBee]

I made up two queenless nucs late Wednesday having been informed that my new queens were "in the post"

They arrived safely today and I separated them from their attendants and put the cages (closed) into each nuc. Three hours later I eased up the roof on each. One cage was invisible! covered in very excited bees, the other had half a dozen workers peering at the queen. What is interesting is that the "excited bees are from a very calm laid back colony and the "dozy" nuc is from one that is quite fiesty at times.