> Info needed.Can I introduce a different species of Queen when splitting?
> Will the bees regonize it as a different kind of bee?A friend of mine
> raises Queens and has offered me a few to start new hives.I'm not sure
> what kind they are but there alot smaller and darker looing than mine.
 
Now here's a good topic.
 
In short, I don't know, but I'll tell you what I know.  Maybe more than I
know :)
 
Generally the closer the queen is in genetics to the bees in the split,
the easier introduction is.  That does not mean though that queens of very
different strains cannot be introduced, after all beekeepers do it every
day.  It is just a little more difficult.
 
FWIW, buckfasts have had the reputation for being a bit hard to
introduce, but I've done it and so have many others -- without problems.
 
The thing to remember is to get everything working for you rather than
against you.  Intros go best when
 
*  There are no old bees in the split.  Make it in the home yard later
   on during a nice day and move it a few feet from the parent hive to let
   the flying bees go home
*  The split is small (not tiny, but around 2 or three frames)  more bees
   can be added later
*  There is no danger of robbing (reduce entrances or use a distant
   site from your strong hives)
*  The bees are well fed
*  The split has been queenless for at least 24 hours, but not to the
   point where they are building queen cells
*  Any queen cells are removed in the former case (we don't bother though)
*  A good intro cage is used
 
There may be more, but that's it in a nutshell.  Follow most of these
rules (we often break them and get away with it) and you should get over
90% acceptance.
 
For more info send email to [log in to unmask] saying
SEARCH BEE-L "introduction"
 
Allen