Author Topic: Should I let my bees replace a new queen?  (Read 3344 times)

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Offline efmesch

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Should I let my bees replace a new queen?
« on: November 12, 2015, 03:29:49 pm »
Background info:
I recently replaced all my old queens.  They were installed as queen cells placed in hives whose queens had been removed one day earlier.  The new queens were scheduled to emerge within 24 hours.
About two weeks later (Nov. 1) I checked my "success" rate.  Six of my seven hives had new queens and the hive without a queen was given a frame of eggs/young larvae to raise a new queen from start, on its own.

Today I checked my hives to see how things were progressing.  Five hives were doing well with their queens laying: eggs, open and sealed brood were present.  The hive given a frame of eggs/young brood had three nice sealed queen cells.  I left them alone to sort things out by themselves, for better or for worse.

However:  In one hive I found the bees to be attending to three open queen cells.  Inside of one I spotted the developing larva.  As I further examined the hive, I saw the young queen calmly parading around on another frame.  While her abdomen didn't seem to be fully developed, she had definitely been laying eggs and I also saw normal worker brood developing.

What are your opinions? 
1. Should I remove the developing queen cells and attempt to "force" the bees to continue with the queen I gave them or
2. Should I leave the developing queen cells alone and let the bees do as they wish?
3. Should I make the selection of which queen cell to keep and either eliminate the laying queen or leave her and let them fight it out?
4. Any other suggestions?

Offline apisbees

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Re: Should I let my bees replace a new queen?
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2015, 04:39:48 pm »
A poor laying queen is better than no new brood at all. I would move the cells up above a double screen with a back entrance and let the top raise and mate a queen If the bottom continues to raise more cells you have the queen from up top to pull down. Or you can run it as a 2 queen or run as a separate hive depending on what you find in the weeks to come.
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Offline efmesch

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Re: Should I let my bees replace a new queen?
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2015, 04:45:28 pm »
That might be a good solution in the springtime, but now, going into winter I have my doubts.  My hives have been reduced to 7 frames (4 honey, 3 brood) and I fear of dividing such a reduced and "weakened" hive into two stories. 

Offline apisbees

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Re: Should I let my bees replace a new queen?
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2015, 04:52:20 pm »
Only pull the 1 frame with the cells up so you have a replacement queen if needed. Over a Dbl they will get the heat from the bottom.
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Offline iddee

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Re: Should I let my bees replace a new queen?
« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2015, 05:41:29 pm »
I would go with #2. Let nature take it's course. They may let the poorly bred queen stay with the new queen until spring, then remove her.
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Offline Lburou

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Re: Should I let my bees replace a new queen?
« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2015, 08:32:13 pm »
Questions for Iddee and Apis:  In a normal supersedure the bees protect both queens until they make a choice, after the new queen either succeeds or fails to lay, yes? If that is true, and the new queen fails, they will kill her, yes? 
« Last Edit: November 12, 2015, 09:09:20 pm by Lburou »
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Should I let my bees replace a new queen?
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2015, 01:53:28 am »
I am with Iddee..   I have seen queen cells nearly ready to cap torn down.. because the new queen got her poo together??   I "assume" it was because they did not think there was enough brood, but once she kicked in and there were a lot more eggs/larvae they decided they didnt need to replace her...    Just my country educated guess...
as lost.
   I also believe that there is some advantage to the local mating if the purchased queens were not from the area.
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