queens age

[rob bone]

Hi everyone, Happy new year. I dont know if this question has been asked before how long does a queen live.

 

[Queens59]

Depends - people on here have said their Queen is 4 -5 year old, others die young...there is no 'general' age. Many change queens at 2-3 year to ensure continual good brood expansion.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Depends - people on here have said their Queen is 4 -5 year old, others die young...there is no 'general' age. Many change queens at 2-3 year to ensure continual good brood expansion.

lots of variables, remember queens normally don't just die, they are more likley starved to death when the supercedure queen arrives

The Hive decides when she is too old to lead the hive, so pheromones, egg laid, size of brood, start to misfire drone layer, how well she mated, damage to her by beekeeper, chemicals ( oxalic and spraying) all contribute

i would say before varroa it was five years max, three the norm, now with varroa and oxalic i would say three is the max before the hive supercedes

but that's my area and anecdotally some last 8 years

 

[freethorpe bees]

Is there a best time of the season to replace her? Or does it depend on this that and the other...

 

[oliver90owner]

Or does it depend on this that and the other...

Of course it does!

Regards, RAB

 

[freethorpe bees]

Oh for a one answer question!!!

 

[Mike a]

Is there a best time of the season to replace her? Or does it depend on this that and the other...

If I buy in a queen to replace another I would prefer to do it around May/June time as the new queen has time to prove herself and I can get an idea of the temperament of the colony. Otherwise I let nature do her own thing and hope the colony raise a good queen and she is able to mate well.

 

[freethorpe bees]

Thanks Mike. My queen is only in her second year so hopefully won't be an issue until next year.

 

[oliver90owner]

hopefully won't be an issue until next year.

One can never be sure. They will supercede if they feel she needs replacing.

Now what does it depend on?

This could be whether you wish to buy in another queen.

That could be whether she is still doing the job.

And that could be whether you are prepared to put up with what you get from them.

Buying in. Expensive early in the season. Change at your choosing (subject to queen availability. Don't do it too late in the year in case of a misfire.

Artificial swarm and go for uniting later with new queen. A/S timing may be chosen for you if not done early in the season. Normally they will not swarm until matured drones are present in the colony, so rush it at your peril - not enough good drones on the wing could mean problems later in the year.

If she is ailing, or the colony slow to build up, too much chalk brood, poor laying pattern, too much drone brood (especially in worker cells!) or other problem, the sooner the better.

Colonies tend to over-winter better with a young queen, so your over-wintering risk will increase if you keep her until 2012.

What you don't really want (with just the one colony) is for your bees to decide to supercede very late in the year. But, even new queens can be superceded after only a very short time.

One last possible consideration; how many times has she been treated to an oxalic acid trickle?

My recommendation, of course, would be to increase to at least two colonies - two are so much more easily managed, without trauma, than one. Losing a queen (with two colonies) is not such a great problem, at any time of the year, compared to just a single colony. Even a small second colony in a polynuc might be some insurance.

Regards, RAB

 

[Silly Bee]

Agreed, one colony and lose a queen for whatever reason, and you are snookered.

Two colonies and lose one, and you can raise one if you have eggs.

 

[rob bone]

Thanks everyone that has help quite alot.

 

[freethorpe bees]

I am thinking of trying an a/s this year (ha ha sounds like I know what I'm doing!)