Introducing a Queen

Two Bees · March 06, 2009, 11:29:23 AM

Robo,

I was reading the information on your website concerning how to introduce a queen using the special frame that you built for that purpose. A couple of questions about the actual introduction:

1. You mentioned that you put the queen in the frame for 14 days. Are there any attendant bees in with her or do the attend her through the hardware cloth?

2. Why do you recommend that she stay in the special introduction frame for 14 days? I was just thinking the bees take about 2-3 days to eat through the candy in the regular queen cage and release her and some veteran beeks will direct release the queen.

Great pictures and details on the introduction frame!

Robo · March 06, 2009, 11:52:52 AM

Quote from: Two Bees on March 06, 2009, 11:29:23 AM
I was reading the information on your website concerning how to introduce a queen using the special frame that you built for that purpose. a couple of questions about the actual introduction:

I'm assuming your talking about this queen introduction frame here -> http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/downloads/
and not the double screen board method here -> http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/queen-introduction/

Quote
1. You mentioned that you put the queen in the frame for 14 days. Are there any attendant bees in with her or do the attend her through the hardware cloth?

It is easiest to just leave them in with her.

Quote
2. Why do you recommend that she stay in the special introduction frame for 14 days? I was just thinking the bees take about 2-3 days to eat through the candy in the regular queen cage and release her and some veteran beeks will direct release the queen.

The introduction frame is meant for requeening a hive with a laying worker, hence the longer time needed.

Two Bees · March 06, 2009, 02:23:21 PM

Yes, I'm referring to the introduction frame and not the double screen board.

So re-queening takes more time than releasing a queen with a package. I learn something new on this site everyday!

Robo · March 06, 2009, 02:34:15 PM

No, not necessarily. You missed the point of using introduction frame for a hive that has a laying worker. Hopefully this is not the norm for you.

Tyro · March 06, 2009, 03:36:21 PM

Robo,
If you have laying workers - what do you do to prep the hive (eg. shake the frames away from the hive, etc.) before you put the queen and the introduction cage in the hive? Or do you just put the queen/frame in with all the laying workers?

Thanks,

Mike

Robo · March 06, 2009, 04:29:28 PM

Quote from: Tyro on March 06, 2009, 03:36:21 PM
Robo,
If you have laying workers - what do you do to prep the hive (eg. shake the frames away from the hive, etc.) before you put the queen and the introduction cage in the hive? Or do you just put the queen/frame in with all the laying workers?

Thanks,

Mike

Although others are selling this type of frame and have great claims for it, I have personally never used this method. I built the frame for Irwin and he successfully used it once -> http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,17867.0.html

In our limited usage (once so far) no prep was done to the hive. I'm sure Irwin will have the opportunity to pass it forward to another member this year and we may get more data.

rob...

Irwin · March 07, 2009, 09:44:22 AM

All I can say is it worked for me :-D

This is for laying worker's.