Requeening with queen cells

[Bosleeu]

After some impulsive grafting last week I have a fairly good supply of some lovely queen cells. More than I need.

As I don't really want to start up mini-nucs this time of year due to the amount of wasps around and time constraints I was thinking of requeening a few of my other hives that still have 2014 queens.

So instead of making u a mating nuc and waiting for a queen to mate, then settle in, then unite with another hive, I was thinking of just introducing a protected ripe queen cell/virgin into the colony and hopefully induce supercedure that way. The current queens (to be replaced) are all clipped so it is unlikely to lead to swarming. I once requeened a nasty colony that way but not sure if I was just lucky at the time and it also "cured" a nuc full of laying workers once. Both times I just put a cell wrapped in foil into the hive.

If it does'nt work and the virgin is lost it is not the end of the world as the current queens are OK they are just getting a bit old and these cells are form a really good queen. What I hope to avoid is ending up queenless.

Is there anybody that perhaps have experience of doing this on the forum or have any comments? I would be grateful to hear you you go about it. The cells/queens will be in hair roller cages, but I can use foil as well if that will help.

There are some info of this on the net but if anybody has done it and achieved it or if some experienced queen rearers have any input I would appreciate it.

Many thanks

 

[For want of a better word]

I would break down the colonies into nucs... keeping existing queen in one... put your foil wrapped queen cells in the others.
Wondering why do you want to requeen ? I have Native queens that are 4 seasons on and still productive.
Is it because the books say so?
Ignore books!

Yeghes da

 

[B+.]

I was thinking of requeening a few of my other hives that still have 2014 queens.
I was thinking of just introducing a protected ripe queen cell/virgin into the colony and hopefully induce supercedure that way.

Watch Michael Palmers video on queen rearing at the NHS ([ame]www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7tinVIuBJ8&list=PLbr7jvL12x94RvRRE0tepOfstgMROmm5D&index=2[/ame]). There's a part in there where he talks about inducing supercedure by placing ripe queen cells in the supers

 

[Bosleeu]

Thanks that is more or less what I normally do, I was just looking for a simpler way as I am on holiday soon.

I have Buckfast queens, they hardly ever swarm in their first or second season, and they are very gentle. They are also very prolific and most can keep two brood boxes full of brood even if I take a few Nucs off. But I doubt any of them will last four years. That is impressive.

These cells are from a queen I really like and I have more than I need (so far, not wanting to count my queens before they emerge).

The other queens are just getting a bit old (for me) and since I have the cells I am thinking of giving it a go.

Books are good to read, but in the end they are somebody's opinion for you to consider in making your decisions.

Four years sounds very old to me. I got three swarms of native-looking bees this season - all three of them were demons. Maybe that is just how they are and I am spoilt but I cannot afford to have stingy bees.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[Anduril]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=34269&highlight=Tudorcd

This is what I tried earlier this year.

 

[Bosleeu]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=34269&highlight=Tudorcd

This is what I tried earlier this year.

Thank you that is exactly what I was looking for.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[Bosleeu]

Watch Michael Palmers video on queen rearing at the NHS (www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7tinVIuBJ8&list=PLbr7jvL12x94RvRRE0tepOfstgMROmm5D&index=2). There's a part in there where he talks about inducing supercedure by placing ripe queen cells in the supers

Thanks the whole talk is very interesting.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk