Queen introduction?

[Poly Hive]

I have just lost two expensive queens on intro. Both obviously were balled whilst in the travel cages. I was caught by weather and was going to move the cages onto sealed brood and then covered with a slow intro cage. So much for that plan.

Any foolproof methods are very welcome.

PH

 

[simonwig]

Recently came across this from Abelo, queen cage introducer, haven't tried it yet but I like the look of it and will use it next time, for the price of a queen, if it works, you'd now be in positive cash territory.
Simon

 

[rolande]

This is off topic but the question needs to be asked, at least, I think so.

Are you a totally new polyhive or the old one who's somehow lost access to his original account?

 

[Ian123]

First off introducing queens to big full hives is to be avoided. A small nuc of nice young/nurse bees is best. Generally aggressive bees also are a good way to waste your money. Unfortunately it’s often the reason for the introduction. I prefer the push in cages and also remove the attendants but many don’t I’ve seen plenty of occasions the workers are killed and think the queen can get damaged in the melee. I often sit the queen/attendants on mesh above the bees so they can at least take on the smell and even food before popping her in a press in cage. There is no fool proof method though!

 

[Erichalfbee]

This is off topic but the question needs to be asked, at least, I think so.

Are you a totally new polyhive or the old one who's somehow lost access to his original account?

IP address Scottish Borders so probably the old one

 

[pargyle]

IP address Scottish Borders so probably the old one

Well ... welcome back if it is and welcome anyway if it's not !!

 

[Poly Hive]

IP addys are not foolproof.

I am still I thanks and been busy elsewhere, mainly on FB.

The queens were introed to nucs which were fre3y made up. I am thinking that some air freshner might have been a thought. My typing is worse than ever due to a totally numb finger and yes it matches the elderly brain.

PH

 

[user 819]

Like for like mated queens, then try dunking in honey and placing on the tops bars or on piece of card on the top bars to watch what occurs. The bees are preoccupied grooming her, licking the honey to be aggressive.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Wow...the Abelo queen introducer for 38 pound. Try a simple push-in cage that you can make for pence. I requeen hundreds a year with this method...some are super strong, populous colonies...for instance the cell building apiary that must have queens less than two years old. Five and six boxes high, bearding out every entrance, and close to 100% acceptance every year.

 

[madasafish]

Wow...the Abelo queen introducer for 38 pound. Try a simple push-in cage that you can make for pence

I use one of the push in cages following your advice in the past Works a treat and so easy and cheap to make...

 

[Mabee]

Try a simple push-in cage that you can make for pence. I requeen hundreds a year with this method...some are super strong, populous colonies...for instance the cell building apiary that must have queens less than two years old. Five and six boxes high, bearding out every entrance, and close to 100% acceptance every year.

Any tips for the less experienced? Trying to decide whether to introduce a new queen this week to a larger queenless colony which failed to get a virgin mated or a smaller nuc. The bigger one needs her more but worried she’ll just be killed. Already had the hive next to her kill an introduced queen!

 

[mbc]

First off introducing queens to big full hives is to be avoided. A small nuc of nice young/nurse bees is best. Generally aggressive bees also are a good way to waste your money. Unfortunately it’s often the reason for the introduction. I prefer the push in cages and also remove the attendants but many don’t I’ve seen plenty of occasions the workers are killed and think the queen can get damaged in the melee. I often sit the queen/attendants on mesh above the bees so they can at least take on the smell and even food before popping her in a press in cage. There is no fool proof method though!

Yup, just to add once introduced to a nuc of young bees and she's up and laying then a newspaper unite can be done with almost certain success.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Any tips for the less experienced? Trying to decide whether to introduce a new queen this week to a larger queenless colony which failed to get a virgin mated or a smaller nuc. The bigger one needs her more but worried she’ll just be killed. Already had the hive next to her kill an introduced queen!

Can you unite it to another colony ?

 

[Mabee]

Can you unite it to another colony ?

The other colony I have is also in the process of requeening but this is their first try after killing the mated queen. The small nuc is doing fine but it was really only to bank the old queen who had bad chalk brood issues (did address other potential causes) but because I only have 2 hives I wanted an insurance policy so keep her for a while so I don’t really want to combine the nuc!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Then make sure the new queen is similar ( ie introducing Buckfast to blackish bees isn’t as easy as the other way round ) and hope for the best? You don’t even have the option of a push in cage because there is no brood.
I presume you KNOW there is no queen in there or that you have found her and removed her ?

 

[Michael Palmer]

Any tips for the less experienced? Trying to decide whether to introduce a new queen this week to a larger queenless colony which failed to get a virgin mated or a smaller nuc. The bigger one needs her more but worried she’ll just be killed. Already had the hive next to her kill an introduced queen!

When I suggest using a push-in cage to requeen a strong queen-right colony, I do mean a queen-right colony. Once the colony has been queenless for some time, it becomes more difficult to to requeen. If there are queen cells...emergency or whatever, no problem. The cells can be removed and queens introduced as above or with the mailing cage. But, if the colony has been queenless long enough to have no brood, then that changes the management. Is there actually a newly mated queen that hasn't begun to lay? Has the colony been queenless for long enough for laying workers to begin? So, the situation matters. What say you about your situation?

 

[Alma2]

What is the best way to requeen a colony that has been Queenless for a long time?
They have rejected my attempt to introduce in a butler cage, so I have warehoused the queen in a small nuc

 

[Erichalfbee]

If there is time unite your new queen laying in a nuc. If not I would add two frames of emerging brood ( no bees) and put the queen in a push in cage.
You say a long time? How long? Long enough for laying workers?
Curly has just posted that he requeened similar ( but I don’t know how similar) colonies by letting the laying queen out of a mating nuc straight into the hive.
Now I know you can swap one laying queen for another this way but I wouldn’t dare try it on a box full of old queen less grumpy bees.
Hopefully somebody else will come along with a solution

 

[Alma2]

I have the queen in a nuc on 5 frames, there is a lot of capped brood - 3 frames worth - I also picked up a swarm last night, so wonder if
I could unite the swarm with the hive and risk that queen. If she survives swap her for my quality queen

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have the queen in a nuc on 5 frames, there is a lot of capped brood - 3 frames worth - I also picked up a swarm last night, so wonder if
I could unite the swarm with the hive and risk that queen. If she survives swap her for my quality queen

You have to do a test frame
Why risk any queen.
She deserves to live as much as any other. So you unite the swarm and the queen gets killed. You’re back to square one.