Queen Introduction

[Swarm]

What would be the prime time for this, within a few days of being queenless hoping they tear down emergency Qcs?
Every chance they would just do her in and go with their own. I gave virgins to two beekeepers with queenless hives last year and they were successful but it's hit and miss. If you can give the bees what they 'expect' it makes introduction easier but still not 100%.

 

[Anduril]

What would be the prime time for this, within a few days of being queenless hoping they tear down emergency Qcs?
Every chance they would just do her in and go with their own. I gave virgins to two beekeepers with queenless hives last year and they were successful but it's hit and miss. If you can give the bees what they 'expect' it makes introduction easier but still not 100%.

I introduced a virgin queen directly into a mating nuc that had no eggs nor queen cells. Some of the bees were biting her wings and it failed. The more successful way for a virgin queen was in an introduction cage with a small amount of fondant. I've introduced laying queens directly into a queenless hive.

 

[Bazzer]

I introduced a virgin queen directly into a mating nuc that had no eggs nor queen cells. Some of the bees were biting her wings and it failed. The more successful way for a virgin queen was in an introduction cage with a small amount of fondant. I've introduced laying queens directly into a queenless hive.

I have found mating nucs extremely tricky to restock with a virgin queen or queen cell - although there are only a small number of bees in there they are mainy quite old. I now simply combine the mated queen in the mating nuc with a queenless colony and start again with a new mating nuc.

 

[Swarm]

Yes, even little mating nucs can object, by far the most successful route is to create a queenless situation and bank her while you wait for the brood to age. A quick open up to pop the tab when there is no viable larvae and acceptance is 90+%

 

[Norton]

I leave attendants in and check behaviour of receiving colony after 3 days, if aggressive I check again after another 3 days.

 

[dvearn]

Sorry if a silly question, what is the rationale for removing the attendants?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

what is the rationale for removing the attendants?

there isn't really.
I think a lot of it is a hangover from regulations involving imported queens where the importer has to remove and euthanase the attendants and send them, together with the transporting cage to the NBU for testing.
As we know, with the BBKA types, things like this quickly evolve to a tradition and then to a compulsion.

 

[Ian123]

Sorry if a silly question, what is the rationale for removing the attendants?

Bees can and do kill workers in the cage, certainly on some occasions. It’s a complete bun fight over the cage with them grabbing legs and anything they can to pull them to the cage side. Do you want the queen caught up in this?

 

[Swarm]

Bless them