Introducing a New Queen

[Frenchie]

I have a queenless colony ,but fortunately a friend is supplying a mated queen. I'll introduce her in a queen cage with fondant sealing the ends. My question is their is some worker brood in the hive which I assume may convince the bees that they have a queen. Should I remove this brood before introducing my new queen. Thanks.

 

[Erichalfbee]

No. I like to place my queen cage between frames of sealed brood

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No, as Dani, introduce the queen between frames of (if possible) emerging brood and with some laying space for her.

 

[Polymorph]

Taking it a step further, you can use a push in cage over the emerging brood and allows more gradual introduction with ability to start laying.

 

[Frenchie]

Thanks for everyone's replies. So even though this is drone brood a new queen will be happier if I put her cage near the brood? Also not sure what a push in cage is? and could I adapt a regular queen cage?

 

[Michael Palmer]

They have emerging brood? You're sure they're queenless? No virgin? Do you have a comb of emerging brood you can give them?
Give them a frame of emerging...
I would absolutely us a push-in cage.

 

[Wilco]

Thanks for everyone's replies. So even though this is drone brood a new queen will be happier if I put her cage near the brood? Also not sure what a push in cage is? and could I adapt a regular queen cage?

Hang on a moment, you initially said worker brood. If there is worker brood then put the cage between frames of it as per the advice above. If there's only drone brood you may have laying workers who could kill the new queen. If so, it's sensible to put in a frame of open brood first and waiting before introducing the queen.

 

[Wilco]

Thanks for everyone's replies. So even though this is drone brood a new queen will be happier if I put her cage near the brood? Also not sure what a push in cage is? and could I adapt a regular queen cage?

Quintrex Cage

Made here in Lincolnshire, the Quintrex Cage is used to introduce a new queen over sealed brood. As bees hatch, they accept the new queen immediately.

www.thorne.co.uk

One of these.

 

[Ian123]

Quintrex Cage

Made here in Lincolnshire, the Quintrex Cage is used to introduce a new queen over sealed brood. As bees hatch, they accept the new queen immediately.

www.thorne.co.uk

One of these.

I really like those push in metal cages the fact that the queen gets to run around on the comb and they can be used over emerging brood really helps with acceptance imo.

 

[Frenchie]

I currently only have one hive so no new brood other than the worker brood. Would the safest method be to use a nuc box ,put in frames with built comb and stores. Possibly also the one frame with worker brood? Then add the queen in her cage and shake in some bees. Let them settle and over the following days add further bees. New queen arrives today so no time to get or make a push cage,we live in a very isolated area of Normandie.
Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Wilco]

I currently only have one hive so no new brood other than the worker brood. Would the safest method be to use a nuc box ,put in frames with built comb and stores. Possibly also the one frame with worker brood? Then add the queen in her cage and shake in some bees. Let them settle and over the following days add further bees. New queen arrives today so no time to get or make a push cage,we live in a very isolated area of Normandie.
Thanks for any suggestions.

Please can you clarify what sort of brood you are talking about. Is it worker brood or is it drone brood? In different posts you have mentioned both.

This is very important to know before deciding on what to do.

 

[Erichalfbee]

To go back to the beginning. How do you know there is no queen and what sort of brood is there?

 

[NiallD]

To go back to the beginning. How do you know there is no queen and what sort of brood is there?

+1

 

[Frenchie]

Definitely worker brood and definitely no queen.

 

[Wilco]

In that case, if there's only one frame of brood it's probably sensible to use a nuc so the bees have less space to keep warm. If your friend can spare a frame of capped brood to put in too that might be useful to help boost numbers.

 

[Frenchie]

In that case, if there's only one frame of brood it's probably sensible to use a nuc so the bees have less space to keep warm. If your friend can spare a frame of capped brood to put in too that might be useful to help boost numbers.

So even though it's worker brood I should still move it into the nuc?

 

[ericbeaumont]

definitely no queen

What happened to the resident queen?

 

[Erichalfbee]

definitely no queen.

What happened to the resident queen?

Yes. How to you know there is definitely no queen?
If you know then agree with Wilco put them in a nuc box, preferably poly

 

[ericbeaumont]

no time to get or make a push cage

Need a piece of 4mm mesh. Cut the corners and fold to give the cage a 12mm rise above the comb.

Ten minute job.

 

[Wilco]

So even though it's worker brood I should still move it into the nuc?

Yes... You need the workers when they emerge to help feed the larvae from the new queen when she's laying, and to generate heat.