Requeening the first time

[KONASDAD]

I have two hives . One is very strong, the other not so. I want to take a nuc from my strong hive to aid in swarm prevention. I want to add some new foundation(probably small cell) to this hive and replace these b/c I think they are too contaminated from the commercial beek I purchased hive from. In my weak hive I want to replace queen. My question is, I have never found the queen in my weak hive. When do I remove the queen before I install another(days/hrs etc)? And what do I put in my nuc (frames of brood, honey etc.)and how many days before i get queen do I do these manipulations for the nuc?
Lastly, I want to keep a queen and preserve her. Suggestions on how to do this. Thanx in advance.

[Michael Bush]

>I have never found the queen in my weak hive
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesqueenspotting.htm

>When do I remove the queen before I install another(days/hrs etc)?

Ideal is overnight.  Not more than 24 hours on the outside.  Not less than 2 hours on the inside.  But overnight is what I have the best luck with.

> And what do I put in my nuc (frames of brood, honey etc.)

You can start a nuc with anywhere from one frame of brood and one frame of honey to three frames of brood and two frames of honey.  The latter will build MUCH more quickly.

>and how many days before i get queen do I do these manipulations for the nuc?

If you are buying a queen to install, it's the same principle.  Overnight will give them time to realize they are queenless.

>Lastly, I want to keep a queen and preserve her. Suggestions on how to do this.

A two frame nuc is nice.  A five frame nuc will do.  A cage with the queen and a few bees in a box with a screen and some candy that you water every day will work for quite a while if you put new bees in every week or so.  A cage with candy and attendents will for for a week or so.

[KONASDAD]

As usaul Mb thanx. My queen preservation question was misunderstood. I want to preserve her forever. As a momento of my first queen. Perhaps to sit on my office desk so i have soemthing to look at other than my work files.

[Michael Bush]

Clear epoxy?