Bee-Key-Pur
Field Bee
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2010
- Messages
- 909
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Normal for Norfolk.
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 1+
When should you replace your queen?
Assuming that she is still laying well, has a regular brood pattern and not drone laying?
From what I have read, some people replace the queen every year to keep the maximum queen pheromone in the hive which young queens offer, max egg laying, plus a better chance for over wintering.
Some books then say replace the queen every two or three years.
What is a queen year? Mine are 2010 queens and I bought them in June last year. So is it June to June? Or June to any time this year? (for replacement purposes).
So if I wanted to replace them after two years, do I over winter her twice and replace her the following spring/summer.
Or should I replace her at the end of this season after the main honey crop and before another winter? Assuming I don’t loose them in a swarm in the mean time!!!
Brian
Assuming that she is still laying well, has a regular brood pattern and not drone laying?
From what I have read, some people replace the queen every year to keep the maximum queen pheromone in the hive which young queens offer, max egg laying, plus a better chance for over wintering.
Some books then say replace the queen every two or three years.
What is a queen year? Mine are 2010 queens and I bought them in June last year. So is it June to June? Or June to any time this year? (for replacement purposes).
So if I wanted to replace them after two years, do I over winter her twice and replace her the following spring/summer.
Or should I replace her at the end of this season after the main honey crop and before another winter? Assuming I don’t loose them in a swarm in the mean time!!!
Brian
