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Author Topic: New Queen  (Read 3283 times)

Offline Johnny253

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New Queen
« on: January 16, 2012, 09:38:48 pm »
I'd like to introduce a new queen to a hive that is 'vicious'. They're good workers but I'd never inspect them now without full protection as they are renowned for 'divebombing' and their sting hurts a heck of a lot more than other stings I've had.

I have never replaced a queen before, has anyone got any recommendations?

I am thinking of getting a Ligurian queen. Does anyone know of a supplier? Will this affect the genetics of my other hives (ie could my other queens breed with drones from this requeened hive)?

Otherwise perhaps I'll replace the queen with one from another hive and then let the other hive requeen naturally.

Does it matter what time of year a queen is replaced?

Offline OzBuzz

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Re: New Queen
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2012, 10:02:00 pm »
G'day Johnny,

Nothing worse than a super hot hive that you can't even lift the lid off without getting hammered... my suggestion in that situation is conquer and divide. Basically move the hive away from it's current location, put down another box with (preferably) some drawn frames in it and let the field bees from the hive return to the old location. Then in the hive you will only have nurse bees and the Queen. You should be able to open them up fairly easily then and find the Queen. If not then a more drastic measure is to sieve them. I basically take an empty box, put it on the base and above that put a queen excluder and another box. Take each frame out of the hive and shake all of the bees on to the Queen excluder. Put the empty frames back in the hive... after you've shaken all of the frames and you have no bees left in the hive then put a lid on top of the box above the queen excluder then move the box, queen excluder and the box on top of that to beside your base. Put the hive with the brood frames back on the base and then pick up the queen excluder and top box (together) and put it back on top of the brood nest. You should have all of the nurse bees crawl through the excluder and next morning you should be able to lift the lid and see a queen sitting above your excluder. Then i would re-unite the brood nest and nurse bees with your field bees in the original hive location. Let them sit for a few hours and then introduce the queen cage directly above the centre of your brood nest. How many boxes do you currently have on the hive?

In regard Queens - I've tried a Ligurian and they didn't work for me - I personally prefer the dark queens but i figured that out by trial and error and what works for my area - it may be different for you. Virgin Queens from your other hives could potentially mate with drones from this hive you're looking at re-queeing... You could try raising a queen from one of your other hives but taking a queen from your other hives and introducing her in to the hive you want to re-queen could be risky if you don't have a queen cage. I would suggest purchasing a queen initially then when you have more experience try producing your own... the latest i would re-queen is autumn so long as you have a flow on

Offline Johnny253

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Re: New Queen
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2012, 11:54:10 pm »
Thanks for the advice Oz,

The hive is only a single (10 fr, full depth), from a swarm I caught. They're pretty much ready for a super to be added so I'll do that in the next week or so.

Sounds like I need to find a good queen supplier.

Offline OzBuzz

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Re: New Queen
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2012, 08:56:02 am »
Dont add the super until after you've re-queened...

I can give you some contacts if you're interested... are you set on a Ligurian? i have a good contact for them

Offline Grieth

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Re: New Queen
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2012, 08:59:14 am »
I had the same problem with a swarm I hived late last year.  Bought a Ligurian (dear as poison they are) removed old queen and put in new queen in queen cage 12 hours later.  They killed her and built queen cells.  Next time I will just kill the old queen and see how they go, apparently it is not rare for dark bees to refuse golden queens.

Just my 10 cents worth
"The time has come," the walrus said, "to talk of many things:
Of shoes and ships - and sealing wax - of cabbages and kingsā€
Lewis Carroll

Offline Johnny253

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Re: New Queen
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2012, 10:11:20 am »
Oz, I'm not set on a Ligurian but I do have a hive of golden italians that I like. Yes, I'd be interested in a queen breeding contact.

Grieth, that doesn't sound good. Do you think she got out of the queen cage before they were ready or don't you think it matters? I will have to requeen this hive. I can't let them raise their own queen for fear that she would end up like her mother.


Offline the-ecohouse.com

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Re: New Queen
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2012, 07:43:11 pm »
hey there

your in SA?

then try a local Bee/k such as Steve at KI bees. 0438 951 785 he breeds the most beautiful and productive ligurians from kangaroo island. He sells mated or virgin.

or or Italians try googling john gyfoule they have an outlet in SA.

I would suit up find the old queen, kill her off, leave it queen less for about 3-4 hour and then introduce the queen in her cage.

the bees will be much more receptive


by introducing a ligurian your genetics will change in the exisiting hives, over time as the ligurian drones mate with any virgin queens that superceed your old queens.