Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => REQUEENING & RAISING NEW QUEENS => Topic started by: Patrick on September 20, 2009, 05:31:24 pm

Title: Unmated queen introduction
Post by: Patrick on September 20, 2009, 05:31:24 pm

Hi,
Can I introduce a new unmated queen, in a cage, from one hive into another?  I have only ever done this with mated queens.
Cheers,
Patrick

Title: Re: Unmated queen introduction
Post by: Michael Bush on September 20, 2009, 08:32:23 pm

You can.  It is trickier than a mated queen.  I think smoking the hive heavily and running her in is about as reliable as any, but it is never 100% no matter what you do.  The usual methods are not so much use.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesalleymethod.htm#introducing_virgin_queens
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesqueenrearingsimplified.htm#c16
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesdoolittle.htm#CHAPTER17

Title: Re: Unmated queen introduction
Post by: Robo on September 20, 2009, 09:06:48 pm

No,  introduction in a cage will not work as they won't release her,  you need to release her yourself.   For best results,  release her in a nuc with young nurse bees.

Some will also claim dipping her abdomen in honey first helps,  but I have never done it. 

Title: Re: Unmated queen introduction
Post by: TwT on September 20, 2009, 11:07:44 pm

Quote from: Robo on September 20, 2009, 09:06:48 pm

Some will also claim dipping her abdomen in honey first helps,  but I have never done it. 

I have done that twice and it worked fine, smoke the hive good and put honey on her pretty good and turn her loose, work both times I tried it that way...

Title: Re: Unmated queen introduction
Post by: adamf on October 09, 2009, 08:26:35 am

We introduce many virgins each season. I have tried various methods throughout the years and find that treating the virgin is LESS important in a successful introduction then the condition of the receiving bees. As stated earlier in this thread, if the receiving bees are psychologically receptive to a virgin, the chances for success greater: what is psychologically receptive? Queenless, younger bees would be very receptive to a virgin; bees that are expecting a virgin.

I'll use a Benton (3-hole) cage or JZBZ cage with either a tiny bit of a candy plug OR one layer of paper rubber-banded over the entrance. Introduce the virgin in this to, small nuc populated by young and emerging bees.

Good luck!
Adam Finkelstein