Introducing a Queen

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As a matter of interest, when I did the Unite earlier today I had a quick look at the test frame I'd put in 4 days ago. I found that the bees appear to have stripped it of all the eggs and larvae except for 3 cells which were forming into EQCs. Is that normal?

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/emergency-queen-cells-eggs-or-larvae.53086/

 

[elainemary]

Yes
It actually doesn’t matter which colony goes on top. It depends where you want the colony to be in your apiary.
I do prefer to put the smaller colony on top ONLY if that’s the queenright one. I feel she’s safer up there

@Beedogg I tend to agree with Dani, though I think best to think through the particular situation and decide in that circumstance what is best.

For instance, if requeening a queenless and feistier colony, I would put the smaller queen right colony on top. As the flying bees are the issue, the queen is perhaps safer on top and it will slow the introduction. However, if a nice tempered queen right colony that is large and a smaller queenless colony, I would in this cuircumstance, put the queenless one on top.

Really depends on the situation and what feels right / safest

 

[Lottie]

No….which is the obvious answer. But what if you have to do the deed when there is no income.
I smoked them all and made sure they had tucked their noses into honey.
As an aside
I united a small colony with air freshener. @enrico has advocated that for a long time. It went like a breeze

I just tried the airfreshner 3 frame method, wanting to requeen a cbpv colony, it worked a treat.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I just tried the airfreshner 3 frame method, wanting to requeen a cbpv colony, it worked a treat.

Yes much has been talked about this. I think I have become a convert.

 

[castanea]

Hi
I made up a Nuc and introduced the Queen all good for time being.
Its a 6 frame Nuc consisting of Pollen 3x Brood Frame of stores + a frame to build, when should I consider moving the bees to a full size hive. The flow is on. Thanks

 

[castanea]

Hi
I made up a Nuc and introduced the Queen all good for time being.
Its a 6 frame Nuc consisting of Pollen 3x Brood Frame of stores + a frame to build, when should I consider moving the bees to a full size hive. The flow is on. Thanks

 

[Beedogg]

I inspected the combined colony today and was relieved to find the introduced queen happily laying up the brood-box of the formerly Q- colony. I was worried that having put her under what was quite a feisty and numerous colony I'd set her up to be killed but, as it happens, she seems to have survived the newspaper unite.