Is this a viable queen rearing plan

[Floyd]

As I have stated on my previous post, my hives are not showing any signs of swarm preparations, but I really need to change some of the queens due to their age.

Hive 1's queen is 3 year old. She was destined to be removed last year as she really slowed down, but after doing a shook swarm on the hive her vigour returned and was the earliest hive to build up this year.

Hive 2 and 3 are both 2 years old with hive 2 being productive and less aggressive, which is saying something as all of my hives are rather feisty.

My plan is to remove the queen from hive 2 into a nuc with drawn brood frames and stores. After 2/3 days knock down any queen cells in Hive 2 and move the marked frames from the nuc back into hive 2.

Re check Hive 2 in 2 days time removing all queens cells that are not on the marked frames.

I will then split Hive 1 into 2 nucs to allow the queen cells hatch and return the Hive 2 queen to its original hive.

My reasoning for this approach is that I can guarantee that the QC will be raised on the youngest larva possible.

I know that the simplest option would be to requeen but as I am lucky enough to be in a Varroa free area, I don't really want to bring something in that could have maybe Varroa related viruses (DWV). I did get a queen from Andrew Abrahams 2 years ago as he too is Varroa free, but would like to try and raise my own.

If you guys could sanity check this plan I would be as usual very grateful for any help.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

but as I am lucky enough to be in a Varroa free area.

That's a good one - who told you that!?

Personally I'd make increase by Demarreeing that hive - queen in the bottom, two to three supers then all the rest of the brood in the top - you don't need to faff aroiund with all that marked frames back and forth - check the hive three to four days after the split - any sealed QC's can be taken down meaning that any remaining will be off young larvae, once sealed you can make up a nuc with that frame, leaving the QC in the hive until sealed means the early stages of the queen development takes place in a strong hive with plenty of vigorous young bees making high quality royal jelly. you can also, later go back in to the bottom brood box and remove more frames with fresh eggs/young brood to make up another nuc the same way.
But my feeling is by springtime you will find there's a new queen in there as they will supersede her shortly

 

[Floyd]

That's a good one - who told you that!?

There are some of us who are lucky. I still check regularly during the year and checked all the Drone Larva that was removed from the brace Comb 2 days ago with still no signs, however it is getting closer each year, which will be a dam shame and I will certainly need to gain some understanding regarding the treatment. Will put the inspection trays back in just to clarify to myself.

Hadn't thought of the demaree solution.

 

[For want of a better word]

Have you still got plenty of drones?

Our (similar to Colonsay Native Amm) Cornish black bees still have plenty of time to get out and mate... drones seem to persist into October... much later than the Italian variants.

your plan should work given good weather and mating conditions ( Apiary vicinity seems more likely)

The feisty colony was probably Q-

Good luck

Yeghes da