Packaged Bee

[Ben Framed]

Packages are a nice way to build an apiary.  Especially if you have old comb. 
I recommend packages to anyone who asks at the bee club.
However, you should not go into winter with the package queen, IMO. 
I have the most success when I pull the package queen and let the hive make their own queen.  A lot of times the hive will do so on their own.  I like to pull the queen as soon as they fill out the first medium, if it's a normal queen.
For me in SW OHio/SE Indiana the package queens just don't make it thru winter.

jvalentour, I have heard the same advice given by others as far as adding a new queen in time. Maybe the queens are older? Or, there other reasons that eventual replacement is recommended by some keepers?
Thanks, PHillip