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Date: | Tue, 20 Jul 2021 10:34:28 -0400 |
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Gene Robinson wrote:
Introductions of foreign queen honey bees (Apis mellifera) to observation colonies. containing individually marked workers resulted in three distinct, simultaneously occurring responses: I) complete passivity; 2) nonaggressive balling behavior; and 3) aggressive balling behavior. Balling persisted for 9.2 h (N = 12) and involved approximately 15-20% of the colonies' populations. Participation in a ball was age-dependent, with 91.2 % of the balling workers 12 days old or older.
Only a small fraction (0.5-2 %) of the colonies' workers behaved aggressively, while the remainder displayed nonaggressive balling behavior ... because balling behavior is dependent upon a small fraction of a colony's workers, queens that survive the aggression and extended periods of confinement during the first several hours of balling may be accepted.
Source:
Insectes Sociaux, 1984, Volume 31, No. 3, pp. 254-263
WORKER AND QUEEN HONEY BEE BEHAVIOR DURING FOREIGN QUEEN INTRODUCTION
G.E. ROBINSON. Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
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This lends credence to the idea that queens are most readily accepted by young bees. Forming a split with mostly young bees minimizes the chance of trouble. Once the colony is up and running it can be merged with one that needs a new queen. (Slow and steady wins the race).
I get the idea of running the queen in the entrance, she may simply be accepted because the disturbance is minimal. On the other hand, I wouldn't do it — with queens costing 40 bucks these days.
A wise beekeeper once told me, you may get away with things sometimes but "don't abuse your prerogatives."
PLB
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