This if often repeated as a successful method of re-queening, but whenever I ask how they determined the success rate, the answer more often than not is that there was no follow up check done (usually for the same reason this
method was selected - lack of time).   



Not true here.  We do it as it’s a better way,  don't have as much downtime without brood. Pinching queens leads to a lot of queen less hives. The bees do a better job of picking which queen is best than we do.


  And we do check success rates.  I and my neighbor commercial guys try to check hives every 2/3 weeks,  we check patterns and queen right.
 Most seasons less than 5% go queen less.  Many times when unmated queens are used (virgins or cells) the weather during mating flights doesn’t work out.  I have no clue what finally trigger them to select one queen over the other, or when.  But can tell you with confidence it works, and less queen less hives as a result.

Next week we are doing walk away splits,  both sides get a cell,  yes we do it because there are to many bees to take time to find the queen.  But experience has shown us what we end up with.  Later in the season we do it even in pollination hives where finding the queen only takes seconds. But when we do queen pinching we end up with about 25% that don't take.

Not always the right tool in the box,  but can be handy and efficient.




I wish I could take credit for the technique.

Charles

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html