I have a 2 year old hive and was told I ought to get a new queen in case the old one dies off during the winter or thereabouts. Is this something that is really necessary, or will my hive naturally take care of this?
Also, our home is up for sale, so I'm not *too* worried if my bees go elsewhere at this point. I know I can move my hive, and I will, but it's not such an urgent priority right now for me to do everything to keep it going. Does that sound lame? Or irresponsible? In which case, yes, I *have to* get a new queen? I'm guessing I'd have to take care of that, pronto, if that is the case.
Thank you for any feedback.
Keri Mae
no it sounds like your thinking is well considered... or why go to the problem of requeening if the hive is going to be sold or moved some distance in the near future. for most folks if the move is far enough away??? it is much easier to sell or destroy the hive and start up again new than it is to move a hive even a short distance.
I must say I have killed a lot of bees in my days... so pulling the trigger on 'em ain't such a difficult thing for me.
Replacing queens at set intervals is a general recommendation, not a rule. I replace queens when the colony is queenless or the queen is not performing. Other than that, they can stay as long as they do their job.
On the first point, I don't think that overwintering is such a function of the queen dying. A weak queen could be less vigorous generating winter bees, thereby endangering the colony, but if she's still producing plenty of bees it won't make much difference. If you have a strong colony then the 2 year old queen is just as safe as the 1 year old.
Not only that but there are just as many things (or more!) that could go wrong in the attempt to requeen at this point. Plus why requeen only to threated that new queen with a move?
I wouldn't sweat it. As mentioned it is a general recomendation. Some people are more regimented about it, some of us are more laid back about it. It is only irresponsible if the regimented way is the only way, and it isn't. :)
Rick
I appreciate the feedback. I think I'm going to just let things lie the way they are for now, and regroup in the spring wherever we happen to be. Thanks much.
It's always good to have a locally adapted queen, so if you don't know where you are moving and it could be to a different climate with different flowers and flow seasons, you would be better off to move and then get a local queen.