Queen Introduction Checklist
Olympic Wilderness Apiary Russian Queen Introduction Checklist in an existing hive:
Special precautions are necessary for success
RUSSIAN QUEENS HAVE DIFFERENT PHEREMONES, AND REQUIRE A LONGER TIME FOR BEES TO ACCEPT THEM.
- New queens should be placed into colonies within a week.
- Keep cage out of the sun.
- Keep at room temperature.
- If unable to install promptly, give one drop of water per day. DO NOT WET, OR POKE A HOLE IN THE CANDY.
- Remove old queen; queen cells; or virgin queen, 6 to 24 hours prior to introduction.
- Place a piece of strapping or electrical tape over the candy plug.
- Wedge queen cage snugly between frames in the center of the brood nest:
plastic cage: w/candy plug “up”
wooden cage: w/candy plug “down”
Leaving screen accessible to the bees. DO NOT REMOVE THE TAPE.
- RETURN IN 4 - 5 DAYS. AT THIS POINT BEES SHOULD NOT BE “BALLING” THE CAGE: (…ACTING AGGRESSIVELY; BITING THE SCREEN ETC.)
If they are still acting agressively, inspect more closely, you may have a second queen.
- Check for and destroy any queen cells.
- When you are certain none of these conditions exist, you may REMOVE THE TAPE.
- The bees will chew through the candy plug in a day or two, quietly releasing the queen.
- Add supplemental feed if introducing a queen when there is a poor honey flow.
- AT THIS POINT, DO NOT DISTURB THE COLONY FOR A MINIMUM OF 7 DAYS – EARLY DISTURBANCE WILL INCREASE THE RISK OF NON-ACCEPTANCE OR SUPERCEDURE!
