Re-queening

[kemptville]

Afternoon all!

I re-queened one of my hives last Sunday and am curious if the queen isn't accepted what to do next? Currently I have two hives - both are double deep with the main brood nests in the lower boxes (1) - the top brood chambers (2) are mainly full of honey. If the queen isn't accepted, I will likely combine the queenless hive with the queenright hive using the newspaper method. How should I go about doing this? As I said, both bottom chambers (1) are the main nest - so will this pose an issue if I take the bottom chamber (1) from the queenless hive and place it on top of the queenright's first brood chamber (1) then add the queenless' second brood chamber (2) on top. What should I do with the fourth second brood chamber (2) - add it too - creating a tall and massive colony?

I wish I could draw you all a picture but here goes with numbers

Currently a=queenright hive b=queenless hive

2a                 2b
1a                 1b

Combining

2a
2b
1b
1a

Hope this makes sense


If I shouldn't be combining, what would you recommend?

Both hives were started this Spring in May

[Robo]

In the future, don't dispatch the old queen until the new one proves herself.  This prevents a lot of potential issues.

http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/queen-introduction/

[sterling]

Why do you think she wil not be accepted? If they don't accept her try again if both hives are fairly strong. plenty time for them to build up.

[kemptville]

Why do you think she wil not be accepted? If they don't accept her try again if both hives are fairly strong. plenty time for them to build up.

@ $30 a Queen! I'd rather combine the two but I won't need to - the new queen has been accepted.

In the future, don't dispatch the old queen until the new one proves herself.  This prevents a lot of potential issues.

http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/queen-introduction/

There was no queen to dispatch - the original queen was lost somehow. Not sure if I killed her or if a huge black bumblebee I found in the hive killed her. I inspected the hive yesterday and observed eggs and saw the new queen :-)

Thanks for your help!

[Robo]

I inspected the hive yesterday and observed eggs and saw the new queen :-)

:piano:  Instant joy when you see those eggs!