Fall Requeening Spring Package

[Dave W]

Greetings . . .

I have read, "requeen annually" in late summer.

How does that apply to a "package" installed this past April?

If I requeen now, will my chance of swarming next spring be reduced?

Would a new queen this fall, help provide young bees thru winter?

thanx
Dave W

[DeadAhead]

I've often wondered the same thing and look forward seeing the replies. Good question.

[Michael Bush]

Personally if the hive is doing really well and the queen is doing really well I'd leave her and requeen next fall, or next spring if she's not doing so well then. Two years is not a bad amount of time to keep a queen, but you'll get less swarms etc. if you requeen every year. Whats a few months? On the other hand, if she's pretty mediocre, I might go ahead and requeen. It might perk the hive right up.