Stupid question of the week

[Zante]

I hope I'm not too late for the stupid question of the week competition, I have an entry

Let's say I have a colony I'm really happy with: docile, productive, and so on...
I also have a colony that is a bit of a pain.

Can I take a queen cell from the good colony and put it in the bad colony and induce supersedure without killing the bad queen?
What if the bad colony isn't a bad colony but a newly captured swarm?

 

[Anduril]

I hope I'm not too late for the stupid question of the week competition, I have an entry

Let's say I have a colony I'm really happy with: docile, productive, and so on...
I also have a colony that is a bit of a pain.

Can I take a queen cell from the good colony and put it in the bad colony and induce supersedure without killing the bad queen?
What if the bad colony isn't a bad colony but a newly captured swarm?

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

Supersedure requeening also "Plenty of honey" talked about Michael Palmer doing the procedure in a super.

 

[Anduril]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=543255&postcount=7 by Plenty of Honey

 

[Zante]

Thanks to both of you, interesting threads to read.

 

[Millet]

I hope I'm not too late for the stupid question of the week competition, I have an entry

Let's say I have a colony I'm really happy with: docile, productive, and so on...
I also have a colony that is a bit of a pain.

Can I take a queen cell from the good colony and put it in the bad colony and induce supersedure without killing the bad queen?
What if the bad colony isn't a bad colony but a newly captured swarm?

I would say that is a interesting question not a stupid one.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Can I take a queen cell from the good colony and put it in the bad colony and induce supersedure without killing the bad queen?

You could try - but then you have an equal, probably better chance of inducing swarming. They supersede because they are not happy with the queen.Of course, they could just tear it down and carry on as before. Too many variables with this one I think to take the risk.
If your unhappy with the queen, give her the gatepost treatment first then either requeen or put said QC in. Requeening would be my choice.

 

[Anduril]

http://tinyurl.com/gwmezwt a more in depth discussion

 

[theeggman]

I hope I'm not too late for the stupid question of the week competition, I have an entry

Let's say I have a colony I'm really happy with: docile, productive, and so on...
I also have a colony that is a bit of a pain.

Can I take a queen cell from the good colony and put it in the bad colony and induce supersedure without killing the bad queen?
What if the bad colony isn't a bad colony but a newly captured swarm?

Zante, please keep asking your ""stupid"" questions.

There's a lot of new 'beeks' out there that may be thinking something similar but don't ask. When you ask you get a selection of answers which you can pick from, but the other readers are enlightened.

I like to think that's what the forum is for.

 

[Erichalfbee]

You could try - but then you have an equal, probably better chance of inducing swarming. They supersede because they are not happy with the queen.Of course, they could just tear it down and carry on as before. Too many variables with this one I think to take the risk.
If your unhappy with the queen, give her the gatepost treatment first then either requeen or put said QC in. Requeening would be my choice.

Simple introduction of a new queen is much less faffing around

 

[Anduril]

I have used the technique successfully

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

what, inducing supersedure, introducing a QC to a Q- colony or introducing a new queen?

 

[Anduril]

Inducing Supersedure, the downside is waiting for the virgin to get mated.

 

[Zante]

Ok, follow up question:

I notice a hive is going through natural supersedure (or at least I am convinced it is). The hive hasn't been requeened because it isn't bad, but it isn't my favourite. Can I replace the queen cell with one from a "more favourite" hive and then have the bees go through their paces?

From what I understand (and please correct me if I'm wrong) during a supersedure the queens coexist briefly, so there isn't an interruption in laying (or a reduced gap).

 

[Zante]

I would say that is a interesting question not a stupid one.

Zante, please keep asking your ""stupid"" questions.

Just a bit of humour
It's never good to take oneself too seriously

 

[B+.]

by Plenty of Honey

I am sure Richard won't object to giving credit where credit is due. The correct reference is Michael Palmers National Honey Show presentation on Sustainable Queen Rearing https://youtu.be/R7tinVIuBJ8?t=53m54s

 

[Anduril]

Ok, follow up question:

I notice a hive is going through natural supersedure (or at least I am convinced it is). The hive hasn't been requeened because it isn't bad, but it isn't my favourite. Can I replace the queen cell with one from a "more favourite" hive and then have the bees go through their paces?

From what I understand (and please correct me if I'm wrong) during a supersedure the queens coexist briefly, so there isn't an interruption in laying (or a reduced gap).

The old queen and new queen coexist until virgin has mated and proven to be good.
If you rip down a supersedure cell and replace with another from another hive you will find they will produce more supersedure cells and you will not know which one has won, also it would be down to timing. In this situation requeen in the normal way making the hive queenless

 

[Anduril]

I am sure Richard won't object to giving credit where credit is due. The correct reference is Michael Palmers National Honey Show presentation on Sustainable Queen Rearing https://youtu.be/R7tinVIuBJ8?t=53m54s

I'd forgotten about that one.

 

[Zante]

I am sure Richard won't object to giving credit where credit is due. The correct reference is Michael Palmers National Honey Show presentation on Sustainable Queen Rearing https://youtu.be/R7tinVIuBJ8?t=53m54s

Thank you.

 

[Nige.Coll]

Ok, follow up question:

I notice a hive is going through natural supersedure (or at least I am convinced it is). The hive hasn't been requeened because it isn't bad, but it isn't my favourite. Can I replace the queen cell with one from a "more favourite" hive and then have the bees go through their paces?

From what I understand (and please correct me if I'm wrong) during a supersedure the queens coexist briefly, so there isn't an interruption in laying (or a reduced gap).

you can protect a queen cell with kitchen foil if you are concerned they will take it down because is doesn't small right. So yeah.