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Author Topic: Queen quick release  (Read 3376 times)

Offline BC

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Queen quick release
« on: July 17, 2011, 01:15:46 am »
I have a Nuc that has been Queenless for over a week. Can I do a quick release or do I have to put her in a Queen cage and let them release her. I'm taking her from another hive and putting her into the Nuc. I was planning on using a Queen catcher and then releasing her that way.

Thanks for the help.

Offline joebrown

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Re: Queen quick release
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2011, 01:50:02 am »
They will be ok for a few more days. You would hate to do a quick release and get her killed.

Offline joebrown

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Re: Queen quick release
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2011, 01:51:24 am »
If they are low on numbers you can always add a frame of bees as well. Sounds like you have more than one hive.

Offline Adrian

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Re: Queen quick release
« Reply #3 on: July 17, 2011, 08:43:39 am »
They will most likely kill her :shock: if you do and then still be queenless. Why not take the time you have?
Adrian

Offline BC

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Re: Queen quick release
« Reply #4 on: July 17, 2011, 12:41:14 pm »
Thanks for the info everyone. The reason why I wanted to do a quick release is because I'm starting a new job Monday and I will be going home only on the weekends. My fear is to discover her dead still in her box when I get back. I can't check on her in a couple of days to see if she's been released. I guess I could take some of the candy out so it's less effort for the workers to get to her.

Thank you again everyone for all your help.

B.C.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Queen quick release
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2011, 12:29:03 pm »
Just because they've been queenless longer does not mean they are more accepting of a queen.  They are the most accepting in about 12 hours of queenlessness. As time goes on and some workers start getting ideas about being queens, acceptance goes down.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Offline caticind

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Re: Queen quick release
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2011, 06:59:54 pm »
Are you quite sure that the nuc is queenless? 

Queens can stop laying for a variety of reasons (could be defect or injury, but one of mine just started laying again after a 2-week break for the dearth) giving the appearance of queenlessness to a hive that will gladly kill your new queen if she is direct-released.
The bees would be no help; they would tumble over each other like golden babies and thrum wordlessly on the subjects of queens and sex and pollen-gluey feet. -Palimpsest

 

anything