For 90% Queen Acceptance
Whether you purchased queen cells or mated
queens, and whether you want to use these queens for increase, splits, nucs or
requeening full-size colony, the principles remain the same and the goal is the
same. You, the beekeeper, want to make
sure the queens are accepted successfully.
Making nucs, splits, or requeening a
full-size colony is time consuming and we want good acceptance rate. All kinds of ways and methods exist to help
the beekeeper save some time, but the results may sometimes be
disappointing. The procedures outlined
below will not aim at saving time, but at improving queen acceptance. We believe it is possible to reach a success
rate of nearly 90%, if done diligently.
Why spend some valuable time and money, in an attempt to improve the
quality of your bees through genetic selection, if you achieve mediocre results
by taking chances?
All kinds of ways and methods exist to help
the beekeeper save some time, but the results may sometime be
disappointing. This is especially true
if we are trying to introduce new genetics in order to control mite
infestation. We want to make sure the
bees do accept the newly purchased stock.
Under the emergency impulse, the bees
sometime sting the caged queen upon emergence, and raise their own queen
instead. This often results in poor
quality queen (intercaste), which is worse than a supersedure queen (natural
requeening).
Can we avoid this problem through special
management practice? Yes we can. Planning ahead minimizes probability of
failure. Let’s maximize our results by
careful planning and management.
Now let’s see what you can do to help your
bees accept your new queens.
First, let us states some principles
governing queen introduction.
DISCUSSION
With these points in mind, we can better
choose our approach to facilitate the acceptance of the new queens.
Ø
In the spring, wait until the weather is warmer,
instead of trying to introduce queens the earliest possible.
Ø
Prepare smaller unit of bees, such as 2-4-frame of
bees, instead of splits, or increases of 10 frames of bees.
Ø
Move the unit within the same apiary to lose all the
older bees. Add extra bees to make sure
there are enough left in the unit.
Ø
Introduce a queen from the same race, if possible,
unless you plan to change genetics.
Now, these points are just suggestions to
increase the rate of acceptance. But
with careful diligence, it is possible to achieve good results, even if all of
the conditions above are not met. For
instance, it is possible, in our experience, to achieve close to 90% success,
in an attempt to requeen large colonies, with a different strain of bees like
the Russian stock. It just takes more
time and attention to details.
1. Planning In Advance
– 6 months
1.1. Make sure the
colonies you are using to make splits, nucleis, increases or that you want to
requeen are in good shape: No varroa or
HTM (Honeybee Tracheal Mites) infestation, no American Foulbrood or European
Foulbrood, and no Nosema.
1.2. Make sure they
have plenty of feed for the winter, and enough for spring build-up.
1.3. A starving
colony does not raise a lot of bees and is under stress.
1.4. A stressed
colony is more susceptible to mites and diseases.
1.5. Order the
queens from the producer or breeder well in advance.
1.6. Prepare your
equipment to make sure it is there when you need it next spring.
2. Prepare The Units
2.1. Nucs, splits,
increases, full-size colonies must be made or rendered queenless 1 to 7 days
before the arrival of the new queens or cells.
The larger the unit, the longer it should stay queenless.
2.2. Be sure they
have everything they need: honey,
pollen, brood from all stages, empty combs or foundation, and enough bees to
cover the brood completely.
2.3. This is a good
time to scrape your frames and the brood chambers.
2.4. Replace old
combs and broken frames with new frames or foundation or combs. If the old ones contain brood, position it
on the side of the box, so you can replace them at a later time.
2.5. If you leave
these units in the same apiary, be sure to give them an extra shake of young
bees, and to provide open brood. This
will keep the young bees busy and preparing natural queen cells.
2.6. Optional: Feed them a light syrup (1:1), especially if
the weather is inclement. Do not
overfeed.
2.7. If the unit is
smaller than a regular brood chamber, reduce the entrance to prevent robbing.
2.8. If the unit is
smaller than 4-frame nuclei, and the weather is hot, provide shading to prevent
absconding.
3. Natural Queen
Cells
3.1. The bees raise
their own queens.
3.1.1. The bees are
acting as a reaction against your intervention as beekeeper.
3.1.2. It is an emergency
situation for them. Their queen is suddenly
missing.
3.1.3. They will
start raising queen cells with any worker larvaes available: young and older larvaes.
3.1.4. Bees tend to raise
numerous queen cells if they are numerous and have plenty of food available.
3.2. The bees often
tend to be loyal to these natural queen cells.
3.2.1. They sometime kill
the caged queen when she emerges.
3.2.2. Older larvaes will
develop sooner because they have a head start.
3.2.3. She emerges
first and destroys the other natural queen cells still in development.
3.3. Research shows
that a queen developed from an older larvae is an intercaste.
3.3.1. An intercaste
queen is an inferior queen.
3.3.2. It was not fed
royal jelly long enough as a young larvae.
3.3.3. It was
supposed to become a worker.
3.3.4. It does not
have fully reproductive organs.
3.3.5. Her laying
capacity is reduced considerably.
3.3.6. She does not
perform adequately.
3.4. Removing these
natural queen cells will enhance the acceptation rate.
3.4.1. The bees are
now queenless for several days.
3.4.2. Moreover, all
their natural queen cells are now destroyed.
3.4.3. They have no
hope of raising other ones because open brood is absent.
3.4.4. They will more
readily accept the caged queen.
3.4.5. The larger the
unit, the more important it is.
3.5. Removing
procedure.
3.5.1. On the day of
introduction, proceed to destroy natural queen cells in each unit.
3.5.2. Remove the
first frame located on the side of the brood chamber.
3.5.3. Shake or brush
the bees off the frame into the brood chamber or onto the other frames.
3.5.4. Inspect the
comb section carefully on both sides, checking corners and crevices.
3.5.5. Cut out or
destroy any partially or capped natural queen cells with your hive tool.
3.5.6. Set it aside.
3.5.7. Remove the
second frame and repeat the operation.
3.5.8. Replace the
second frame in the brood chamber immediately at the place where the first
frame was positioned.
3.5.9. Repeat for each
remaining frame, taking care to replace them in the brood chamber in the same order
and position.
3.5.10. Last, shove the
frames over to make room for the first frame.
3.5.11. Replace it in the
first position.
3.5.12. Cover the brood
chamber with the inner cover.
3.5.13. Proceed to the
next colony.
3.5.14. When you have finished
the last colony, go back to the first one to start introducing the new queens.
4. Queen Cell Introduction
4.1. Be sure to
transport queen cells adequately.
4.1.1. Pick-up early
in the morning.
4.1.2. Place them in
an insulated lunch box or Styrofoam container.
4.1.3. Keep them in a
upright position at all times.
4.1.4. Do not rattle
the cells. Do not turn them upside
down.
4.1.5. Use block of
wood or Styrofoam with pre-drilled holes of ¾” diameter to hold each cell.
4.1.6. Take care not
to disturb them with sudden moves or knocking.
4.1.7. Use a
thermometer to monitor the inside temperature at around 95°F.
4.1.8. Use warm water
bottles at the bottom of the container.
4.1.9. Keep away from
direct sunlight in hot days. Keep the
lid closed.
4.2. Position queen
cells adequately.
4.2.1. Adjacent to a frame
of brood.
4.2.2. Hanging in
between 2 top bars.
4.2.2.1. If the weather
is warm and the cluster is covering the top bars.
4.2.2.2. Hold by the
wooden or plastic base and hang between two top bars.
4.2.3. In the middle
of a frame of brood.
4.2.3.1. If the weather
is inclement, or if the cluster is small, position the cell inside the cluster.
4.2.3.2. Remove a brood
frame.
4.2.3.3. Find an empty
spot with no brood to position the cell.
4.2.3.4. Using your
finger, flatten the cells to make room for the queen cell.
4.2.3.5. Press the base
against the top portion of the empty spot, positioning the cell downward in the
empty spot.
4.2.3.6. Be sure not to
crush it while pressing. Press on the
base only.
4.3. Close the
colony and do not disturb for a minimum of 14 days.
4.3.1. Do not come
again in 1 or 2 days to see if the cell has emerged.
4.3.2. This would
disturb the colony and may cause rejection of the new virgin queen.
5. Mated Queen
Introduction
5.1. Remove
attendants from the cage, up to one hour before going to the apiary.
5.1.1. Proceed inside
your home, honey house or vehicle, near a sunny window.
5.1.2. Open the cage
and let the bees escape.
5.1.3. If the queen
comes out, she will fly to the window.
5.1.4. It is the best
time to mark or clip her.
5.1.5. Let the paint
dry thoroughly – about 1 minute.
5.1.6. Put her back
in the cage, grabbing her wings or thorax.
5.1.7. Close the cage
securely. Make sure the candy is
exposed inside and outside the cage.
5.2. Insert the cage
in the way described for queen cells.
5.2.1. Make sure the
screen of the cage is facing downward or upward, but not pressed against the
side of the frame.
5.2.2. The bees need
to access the queen to feed her.
5.2.3. Optional: Continue feeding light syrup, if weather is
inclement. Do not overfeed.
5.2.4. Close the
colony.
5.3. Do not disturb
the colony for at least 7 days.
5.3.1. Do not come
again in 1 or 2 days to see if the queen has exited the cage.
5.3.2. This would
disturb the colony and may cause rejection of the new virgin queen.
6. Check If New
Queen Is Laying
6.1. Leave the
colony undisturbed for several days.
6.1.1. The colony is
nervous until it has open brood, especially for a newly introduced mated queen.
6.1.2. You risk
causing the bees to ball the queen.
6.1.3. Wait at least 7
days for a mated queen to start laying and have open brood of her own.
6.1.4. Wait at least 14
days for a virgin queen to emerge from her cell, to mature, to take orientation
flight, to go for several mating flights, and to start laying.
6.2. Check for the
presence of eggs or young larvaes.
6.2.1. Open the
colony and remove a centre frame to inspect.
6.2.2. If eggs are
present or young larvaes.
6.2.2.1. Replace the
frame and close the colony.
6.2.2.2. It is
queenright. The queen has been
successfully introduced.
6.2.3. If no brood is
present.
6.2.3.1. Look for an
open queen cell you may have missed.
6.2.3.2. Look for a
virgin queen.
6.2.3.3. If you find
it, either remove it or leave it be. It
is up to you.
6.2.3.4. If you remove
it, reintroduce a new caged queen or a queen cell immediately, if available.
6.2.3.5. It is not too
late yet. Laying workers usually appear
one week later than this.
6.2.4. If no queen is
present and it appears that the colony is queenless.
6.2.4.1. You can
reintroduce another queen immediately, if available.
6.2.4.2. It is not too
late at this point. You may want to
give the colony a frame of capped brood or emerging brood, if the colony is
weak.
6.2.4.3. Do not add
extra bees, or open brood.
6.2.4.4. If the colony
is too weak to support another frame of brood, it is too weak to sustain a
queen.
6.2.4.5. Dismantle or
unite the unit with a strong queenright colony, one having an established
queen.
6.2.5. Once the queen
is accepted and laying, do not disturb for another 2-3 weeks, until it has
emerging brood of her own.
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