Queen introduction problems

[sean-a]

I have a hive where I am struggling to introduce a queen.
They keep putting up queen cells and mobbing the queen cage
No other brood or eggs. I have taken them down day after day.
Been through the hive multiple times and not seen another queen

I am considering introducing a new frame of emerging brood with the queen under a push in cage....or moving the hive and putting a frame of emerging brood with a push in cage in a new brood box on the site of the old hive so that the flying bees return to the new queen

Any other ideas?

 

[Finman]

When bees cap their emercency cells, then they accept a new queen quite well.

 

[elainemary]

I have a hive where I am struggling to introduce a queen.
They keep putting up queen cells and mobbing the queen cage
No other brood or eggs. I have taken them down day after day.
Been through the hive multiple times and not seen another queen

I am considering introducing a new frame of emerging brood with the queen under a push in cage....or moving the hive and putting a frame of emerging brood with a push in cage in a new brood box on the site of the old hive so that the flying bees return to the new queen

Any other ideas?

Another option is to try making up a Nuc with the nurse bees from your hive and first introducing the queen, whilst keeping brood pheromone in the rest of the hive. Then uniting both together. The push in cage method is good too. Sometimes the bees bury under the cage and release the queen I’ve found.

 

[GuyNir]

I’ve used Abelo Q introduction frame to introduce a Q to a very large, a bit feisty colony.

https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/national-hive/poly-hives-national/national-queen-cage-introducer/
after removing all Q cells, put the Q by herself on an emerging brood frame, in this Q introduction frame. After a week, she’s fully accepted + the frame is full with eggs & larvae on both sides. Job done,

 

[B+.]

I have a hive where I am struggling to introduce a queen.
They keep putting up queen cells and mobbing the queen cage
No other brood or eggs. I have taken them down day after day.
Been through the hive multiple times and not seen another queen

I am considering introducing a new frame of emerging brood with the queen under a push in cage....or moving the hive and putting a frame of emerging brood with a push in cage in a new brood box on the site of the old hive so that the flying bees return to the new queen

Any other ideas?

When you say they are "putting up queen cells", do you mean they have eggs in? If so, you have a queen in your hive that you may not have spotted. That would explain the aggression to any queen you attempt to introduce. If they are building cups but they don't have eggs in, there may be a virgin in your hive. In this case, wait a couple of weeks and look for eggs/larvae.

 

[sean-a]

When you say they are "putting up queen cells", do you mean they have eggs in? If so, you have a queen in your hive that you may not have spotted. That would explain the aggression to any queen you attempt to introduce. If they are building cups but they don't have eggs in, there may be a virgin in your hive. In this case, wait a couple of weeks and look for eggs/larvae.

Yes, eggs and larvae in the QC
None elsewhere which is what is baffling me.
If there is a virgin in the hive, why are they continuing to put up cells?

 

[B+.]

Yes, eggs and larvae in the QC
None elsewhere which is what is baffling me.
If there is a virgin in the hive, why are they continuing to put up cells?

Who knows with bees? Sometimes they do some very strange things.
I suspect the queen may be just getting started laying - they often lay a few eggs in cups as an insurance in the beginning but the bees tear them down once he queen gets into her stride.
I suspect you'll find more eggs in the coming days - but in worker cells

 

[Sutty]

How about brushing all the bees off a few frames of brood and put in another brood box, fill the space in the old box with frames or foundation and place the new box with brood + extra frames/foundation over that with a QE between the two. Existing queen (must be there somewhere) is now in the lower box. Once nurse bees have moved up to the top box use it to make up a nuc on the old site, and introduce the new queen.
Old box on new site will lose its foragers, has lost a chunk of brood, and should be fairly weak. If they make more cells I'd cut them back to one and see what happens. If they swarm at least you won't lose as many bees.
Wierd that eggs in cells but not elsewhere though!! Perhaps an unusual version of supercedure???

 

[sean-a]

There's no brood left anymore!!!
It has all emerged bar a tiny bit of drone.
The poor queen has been caged for ages..
I could pinch some more emerging brood from another colony but loath to weaken them.....also don't want to lose my bought in queen

 

[Sutty]

There's no brood left anymore!!!
It has all emerged bar a tiny bit of drone.
The poor queen has been caged for ages..
I could pinch some more emerging brood from another colony but loath to weaken them.....also don't want to lose my bought in queen

If no brood then maybe smoke all the bees down through an excluder, I think you will find a queen, then you can either make a split and introduce your bought-in queen to the queenless half, or kill the dubious queen and introduce the new one.

 

[Sutty]

Alternatively you could do a simple split. Only one of these should be able to make QCs (assuming there IS a queen), use the bought-in queen to re-queen the other half.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The poor queen has been caged for ages..

For heaven's sake make a two frame nuc up for your new queen (One frame stores One frame sealed/emerging brood One drawn frame and two foundation) and shake the colony out

 

[Sutty]

For heaven's sake make a two frame nuc up for your new queen (One frame stores One frame sealed/emerging brood One drawn frame and two foundation) and shake the colony out

No brood!

 

[Erichalfbee]

No brood!

You've got two other hives
This hive is not going to accept this queen

 

[sean-a]

For heaven's sake make a two frame nuc up for your new queen (One frame stores One frame sealed/emerging brood One drawn frame and two foundation) and shake the colony out

Yes....I think that this is what I needed to hear!
I have been flogging a dead horse!

 

[user 819]

For heaven's sake make a two frame nuc up for your new queen (One frame stores One frame sealed/emerging brood One drawn frame and two foundation) and shake the colony out

Made me laugh Dani, sounded like you're losing your rag over this one.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Made me laugh Dani, sounded like you're losing your rag over this one.

Well!!!!!!

 

[sean-a]

Raided a swarm I collected and have hived for a frame of brood.
Push in cage with the queen and a frame of stores in a poly nuc...sealed in!!
Not shaken the other hive out yet, will raid some more brood once the queen is accepted and when the bees are a bit stronger will move the existing hive off it's site and replace it with the hived nuc.

Bloody bees!!! at least the queen has a bit more room to roam!