New virgin Queens - how to treat the hive?

[steve_e]

I've got two hives into which I've installed two new virgin queens (one had swarmed and had unopened queen cells which I've destroyed and the other had a Queen but had a severe case of chalk brood).

I'm wondering what to do over the next couple of weeks. I did read that you should leave well alone for a couple of weeks at least, to give the new queens time to do their mating flight and begin laying - but I also heard that until the new queen begins laying the hive may be creating new queen cells from the last of the old queen's eggs (only going to happen in one of the hives obviously).

Should I be leaving them in peace or going in until I see new eggs with no Queen cells?

Regards, Steve.

 

[Joseph]

With queen introduction it is best to leave them alone for just over a week at least.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

How long between the first hive swarming and the introduction of the virgin? How did you introduce the queens - were they caged?

As virgin queens, you would usually leave for 2 - 3 weeks. (1 week when introducing a laying queen into a hive).

 

[steve_e]

Thanks both.

With the hive that swarmed I'm not sure, but I think there was about a week between the swarm and me introducing the new queen. Both queens were caged with a fondant sugar 'plug'.

 

[oliver90owner]

Both queens were caged with a fondant sugar 'plug'.

Not an expert on introducing queens (queen cells into nucs then eventually unite with newspaper, has always been adequate for me), but I would want to be d*mn sure she had been released from the cage before three weeks were up!!

A week should be enough, for breaking down existing queen cells, but a little longer is usually recommended.


Open carefully with minimum disturbance after any likely 'mating flight time' in the day.

Regards, RAB

 

[Poly Hive]

Actually there is a risk with the "plug" as the bees can let her out in a matter of a couple of hours. Which is too fast.

One way is to plug the plug with some foam rubber and then after a day or two take that out and let them get on with it.

Slow is definitely better in this situation.

PH

 

[steve_e]

Thanks for the replies both.

Open carefully with minimum disturbance after any likely 'mating flight time' in the day.
Regards, RAB

I didn't realise there was a preferred time RAB. When do they normally don/discard the goggles?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Actually there is a risk with the "plug" as the bees can let her out in a matter of a couple of hours. Which is too fast.


PH

Amen to that - lesson learnt the hard way