Queen Introduction

[Brian Bush]

I have always removed the attendant bees when introducing a queen to a new NUC. I was party to a discussion the other day that a beekeeper said that he never removed the attendants. Others said they did.
I then read that it was always advisable to remove attendants and in another publication it was not necessary.
Removal of attendants I always find a difficult chore. Is it really necessary What are the considered views on the forum?

 

[Anduril]

I've never removed the attendants, too much of a faff.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've never removed the attendants

 

[Bazzer]

I don't take out the attendants but usually wait a day before removing the tab so should have the same scent anyhow

 

[Ian123]

I remove attendants as a rule…

 

[Newbeeneil]

I have never removed them.

 

[Swarm]

Heh

 

[steve1958]

No I have never removed the attendants either.
I try to handle the cage as little as possible

 

[Mabee]

I always remove them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Always leave them in. Even if the queen goes under a push in cage her mates go with her.

 

[jeff33]

I don't either.

 

[Newbeeneil]

From what has been said already I assume it makes sweet FA difference which you do!

 

[Anduril]

From what has been said already I assume it makes sweet FA difference which you do!

How many discard the queen and introduce the workers

 

[Antipodes]

Some experimentation has been done by Wyatt Magnum ...following other work of McCutcheon (2001).

https://bluetoad.com/publication/?i=662572&article_id=3691621&view=articleBrowser

Also, see here under "Alone or with Attendants"

Queen introduction - The Apiarist

Successful queen introduction isn't rocket science but does require attention to detail. Here is the detail. The recipient colony must be queenless and should not contain laying workers.

theapiarist.org

 

[Erichalfbee]

To complicate matters you can remove a queen and put a new laying queen in without cage or attendants

 

[jeff33]

To complicate matters you can remove a queen and put a new laying queen in without cage or attendants

Only if she hasn't stopped laying though, i.e: removed from a nuc and transferred straight into another hive.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

or if she's a virgin

 

[Erichalfbee]

Only if she hasn't stopped laying though, i.e: removed from a nuc and transferred straight into another hive.

Yes big difference between a laying queen and a posted queen

 

[jeff33]

or if she's a virgin What would be the prime time for this, within a few days of being queenless hoping they tear down emergency Qcs?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

or if she's a virgin What would be the prime time for this, within a few days of being queenless hoping they tear down emergency Qcs?

Never tried it, but I suppose if there are QCs the virgin would sort them anyway