Queen introduction, supers off to put feed on?

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BeeBird

Lakes bee from Mungrisdale near Keswick
BeeKeeping Supporter
Joined
Aug 26, 2022
Messages
116
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Location
Cumbria
Hive Type
WBC
Number of Hives
4 WBC & 2 Abelo 12 frame national poly
I have just split a double brood colony that has 2 supers on, one in the process of being capped. The Queen has gone into a nuc with brood, food foundation 4 shakes of bees and 1:1 syrup to get them going. I have a new Queen coming in 8 days. I have put a clearer frame on the original hive with a view to taking the supers off so I can feed when I introduce the new queen. I’m now wondering if this is the right move, or should I leave the supers on and let them carry on without any supplementary feeding? There are a good amount of stores in the 2 brood boxes but I don’t want them to back fill everything whilst the new Queen is getting going.
Is there increased chance of them rejecting the new Queen if I just leave them with the supers and no syrup?
 
I would just introduce her without feeding

but why don't you just make up a nuc and introduce the new queen to that? a much safer option
The existing Queen is one from a Queen cell last year her mother was from a swarm given to me by someone who was giving up beekeeping 🤔. I know all bee’s will swarm if left to their own devices, but I think this particular genetic line have become diluted and more swarm oriented ?if there is such a thing. I knocked down 7 Queen cells before I took her out, she had been laying well but still had lots of space as they had been recently put onto double brood. Thought I would keep her till a new Queen gets going in the mother hive, then maybe dispatch her and strengthen one of my smaller colonies with the nuc.
 
The existing Queen is one from a Queen cell last year her mother was from a swarm given to me by someone who was giving up beekeeping 🤔. I know all bee’s will swarm if left to their own devices, but I think this particular genetic line have become diluted and more swarm oriented ?if there is such a thing. I knocked down 7 Queen cells before I took her out, she had been laying well but still had lots of space as they had been recently put onto double brood. Thought I would keep her till a new Queen gets going in the mother hive, then maybe dispatch her and strengthen one of my smaller colonies with the nuc.
I think moving forwards I need to get to grips with doing some demaree’s. Just a bit nervous about getting to grips with it 🤦‍♀️
 

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