Requeening with a different species

[boatspeed]

I have a nuc of Carnolians arriving shortly (I hope). I ordered these some time ago, and made the choice partly through ignorance and partly because they were actually available!

There's a lot of discussion on forums regarding the advantages of keeping more "local" bees; I'm keeping an open mind for the time being, but I am aware of the pros and cons being discussed, and don't want to start another discussion about the suitability of different species for the UK climate.

If I subsequently decided that I would be better off with a local strain, and assuming I had a source of local queens, how difficult is it to requeen with a different strain? Are the bees agnostic of the breeding of their new queen, or can this cause extra difficulties?

Just to emphasise, I'm not making any specific plans; just exploring what is technically possible...

 

[Tom Bick]

Its a case of The Queen Is Dead God Save The Queen

If you want to change the queen then providing you follow the correct steps all should be fine but dont kill the Carnolian Queen its not her fault someone may take her.
Or as you are new to this and I hold my hand up to, you stand a chance of loosing her to a swarm and may well end up with more of a local bees
Good look

 

[boatspeed]

Thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear

If I do it, existing queen will go into a nuc; definitely no plans do dispatch her...

 

[Poly Hive]

Not as difficult as you might think as the cardinal rule in bees is to give them what they expect.

If you are changing a laying queen for a laying queen they will be reasonably happy to accept that.

A virgin for a laying queen is that much more difficult and so on.

Make sure your new queen cannot get out for a good 24 hours then let them at the release candy and she should be fine.

PH

 

[Tom Bick]

If I do it, existing queen will go into a nuc; definitely no plans do dispatch her...

Then you will have the best of both worlds