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Author Topic: New Hives Requeen with local queens?  (Read 3601 times)

Offline twodogs

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New Hives Requeen with local queens?
« 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
Using 8 frame medium hives, with 1 bottom deep.

Offline BrentX

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Re: New Hives Requeen with local queens?
« Reply #1 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.



Offline Michael Bush

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Re: New Hives Requeen with local queens?
« Reply #2 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.
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Offline caticind

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Re: New Hives Requeen with local queens?
« Reply #3 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.
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

Offline wadehump

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Re: New Hives Requeen with local queens?
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2011, 10:23:51 am »
how about splitting with local queens and feed feed feed  8-)

Offline jwchitwood

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Re: New Hives Requeen with local queens?
« Reply #5 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. 

Offline twodogs

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Re: New Hives Requeen with local queens?
« Reply #6 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
Using 8 frame medium hives, with 1 bottom deep.