On 25 Jan 97 at 15:11, Kirk Jones wrote: using cell protectors
> We are getting ready to split out our hives in Florida in a couple of weeks
> and I wondered if any of you have used a cell protector over a Q cell and
> placed them in a Q right hive.
>
> What is the average acceptance rate in some of your experience?
We have and do use this method of requeening a Queen right hive. To really
get the best use there are certain things that have to be done.The old
queen should be marked, otherwise you don't know if this method has
worked, or not!!
The queen cell has to be over 14 days old before it's
moved, if not there is danger of the queen hatching with damaged wings.
The hive that the cell is going into has to have an old queen, there is
no point in trying this with a young queen that the bees are happy
with. The cell inside it's protector is pressed into the wax, preferably
close to emerging brood. No cell protector, then the bees will invariably
break open the cell. Once the virgin has emerged the bees do not seem to
be concerned by it. The virgin goes out and mates, then comes back and
takes over as if there was superscedure taking place.
The alternative is to place it above a queen excluder, as low as
possible, to ensure that it will be covered by bees during any cold snap.
The virgin will mate and start to lay above the excluder, provided you
supply a top entrance. On occasion we have had the new queen return to the
bottom entrance, and take over. This is the reason for a back or side
entrance for upper entrances.
If it is done correctly, at the right time the success rate can be very
high. But to be really sure, you can't beat the nuc, cell, and finally
newspaper unite to requeen!!
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The Bee Works, 9 Progress Drive Unit 2, Orillia,
Ontario, Canada. L3V 6H1
David Eyre, Owner. Phone/Fax 705 326 7171
Dealers for E.H.Thorne & B.J.Sherriff UK
http://www.muskoka.net/~beeworks
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