Author Topic: When would you release?  (Read 3332 times)

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Offline RAST

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When would you release?
« on: June 05, 2018, 08:02:43 pm »
 Or would you? I have a small cluster of bees in a hive that went queenless. My fault, gone too long with no inspection. Discovered yesterday. Cut it down to 4 frames. Got a caged mated queen yesterday and is being accepted from all indications tonight.. Would you go ahead and release her?

Offline apisbees

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Re: When would you release?
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2018, 08:58:38 pm »
No brood for a long time = older bees that can be less accommodating to a new queen. Small cluster will accept a queen more readily than a very populous hive. It is a crap shoot any time you introduce a new queen into a hive. for the most reliable chance release the queen into a press in cage on some comb that the bees have polished and is ready for the queen to lay in. then in 4 days release the queen and because she has been laying the bees are more likely to accept her. A good nectar flow or feeding syrup will also improve the chances of success also.
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Offline Wandering Man

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Re: When would you release?
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2018, 11:28:53 pm »
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Offline riverbee

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Re: When would you release?
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2018, 11:29:55 pm »
just my HO rast, i would let the bees release her.

what apis said, older bees can be less accommodating. and a crap shoot overall introducing queens. also, a little syrup as apis mentioned.

i keep russians, i don't release queens, i use a slow release method. cork or cap on for 24 hours, take the cork out/cap off, check back in 4 days.
the other thing i do when requeening is place the cage on top the frames and watch the reaction of the bees. if it's not so good i leave the cork in/cap on for 24 hours.  if they are fanning and not biting the cage, or trying to stick their butts in the cage to sting the queen (no aggression) i will remove the cork or cap. 

russian queens are really hard to come by so why i am so careful about my release method, this may be different for you.
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Offline RAST

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Re: When would you release?
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2018, 05:06:21 am »
These are fanning and feeding her already, very gentle when you run your finger through them on the cage.

Offline riverbee

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Re: When would you release?
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2018, 11:20:39 am »
that's a good sign.

rast, i am so very cautious about releasing queens, i typically don't.
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