Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => REQUEENING & RAISING NEW QUEENS => Topic started by: twodogs on June 16, 2011, 11:24:09 pm

Title: New Hives Requeen with local queens?
Post by: twodogs on June 16, 2011, 11:24:09 pm

Hello and please give me your wisdom,

New Beekeeper this year and have 2 new 8 frame hives.
The bees came from a southern bee yard and are doing very well.

I live in the North in Mass. and have been told that requeening with local queens is in my best interest for hive survival.
I understand a little about the good points of local queens but my present queens appear to be really doing a good job.
I started with 1 deep 8 frame brood box. I added a 2'nd (medium) two weeks ago and now just added a 3'rd (medium) brood box.
They have built out about 75% of the first 2 boxes and seem pretty happy with their queen. Good capped brood, larvae, honey & pollen.............and ....still feeding......?...bad?...enough feeding?
What would be your advice....should I leave the original queens alone or try to introduce new local queens.
I'm very nervous about ruining what so-far seems like a very good combination, and I don't really know "Nuthin".

Wishing you all well,
Paul

Title: Re: New Hives Requeen with local queens?
Post by: BrentX on June 16, 2011, 11:51:13 pm

I am a big fan of local bees.  I would requeen once the hive has lots of drawn comb, and before the weather starts to cool so the new queen has plenty of time to hatch out a good population.

Title: Re: New Hives Requeen with local queens?
Post by: Michael Bush on June 17, 2011, 09:23:13 am

I'm a fan of local queen s as well.  But if things are working, I might tend to leave them.  The question, of course, is how they will winter.

Title: Re: New Hives Requeen with local queens?
Post by: caticind on June 17, 2011, 10:21:34 am

Local queens are great.  But I wouldn't suggest killing a queen that is performing well in your area regardless.

How many frames of sugar syrup do these hives have?  How much is capped?  That will tell you if you should stop feeding.

Title: Re: New Hives Requeen with local queens?
Post by: wadehump on June 26, 2011, 10:23:51 am

how about splitting with local queens and feed feed feed  8-)

Title: Re: New Hives Requeen with local queens?
Post by: jwchitwood on June 27, 2011, 12:32:44 am

the more I tinker with a hive, the worse off they are. stick with what you've got.  if they make it through winter... then they are local. 

Title: Re: New Hives Requeen with local queens?
Post by: twodogs on July 07, 2011, 12:14:51 am

Just wondering if I can re-queen a hive and use the existing queen (which is a this years queen) to split off  a new hive?

Can I place this new hive with the old queen right next to the old hive or will the old queens pheramones distrupt things?

Paul