Why kill the Queen?

[balhanapi]

Why is it advised to kill the queen of a swarm and replace her with a new(purchased) queen? why not seperate the swarm queen from the colony say after 2-3 weeks and let the colony raise their own queen?(in 2-3 weeks you can also observe the colony as per your expectations-brood pattern/gentleness etc) I am saying this coz i believe the swarm caught in early spring (typical period) will most probably have an overwintered queen, survivor in that local area so why not conserve her genetic material rather than replace it completely with some bought queen from a breeder far off? Once you have a young queen from the swarm you can kill the old queen or do what suits you.
I am young beekeeper so kindly consider this as a young mind's curiosity

[iddee]

>>Why is it advised to kill the queen of a swarm and replace her with a new(purchased) queen? <<

Because they just don't know any better.

A swarm will peplace the queen if needed. You don't need to separate her. They will know better than you when it is time for her to go.
The rest of what you say is correct.

[Sundance]

The only time I requeen is if the brood
pattern is poor, or if they are nasty.

[naturebee]

Requeen based on performance.

[balhanapi]

Thanks ;) I get the feeling that i can be a good beekeeper!! :rolleyes:

[Michael Bush]

>Why is it advised to kill the queen of a swarm and replace her with a new(purchased) queen?

I've never advised it. I don't requeen swarms and I don't buy queens.

[balhanapi]

Okay I got my answer smile.gif on similar lines what is the best way to catch a swarm if u have all the new equipment? I plan to start next spring but i dont want to buy a package(although i would have to buy the equipment). I would like to catch a swarm and keep it. Last year my old equipment served as bait hives so i got 2 very big swarms 13-15 frames! But now i dont have that advantage( i recently moved to United States from India) Please advise..

[iddee]

Put the swarm in new equip. and use queen excluder to keep the queen from absconding until there is brood in the newly drawn comb. Then you can remove the excluder and they will stay.

FEED HEAVILY.

[balhanapi]

How do i catch the swarm in the first place? Or in other words how do i use my new equipment as bait hive? :(

[iddee]

Lemon grass oil, or purchased swarm lure.

Best to visit the local pest control companies and ask them to call you when they are called for a swarm hanging in a tree or bush. Also the police, fire dept., 911 station, and local feed and seed stores. You will receive calls until you don't want any more.

[jim b]

>what is the best way to catch a swarm if u have all the new equipment?

Lemongrass oil works great as a swarm lure. A few drops on the frames in the box has worked very well for me.

[ August 23, 2006, 08:44 PM: Message edited by: jim b ]

[balhanapi]

Lemongrass oil is sold under what name? and where? (what store?) What r the results with the commercially available swarm lure? a five frame nuc works fine or do i have to buy the swarm trap commercially available?
forgive me for asking too many questions.. tongue.gif

[iddee]

http://www.google.com/search?q=lemon+grass+oil&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

A 5 frame nuc or a 10 frame hive body or super will work fine.
I have never used comercial lure, so I can't help there.

[Panhandle Bee man]

The reason it is recommended that you replace a swarm queen with a new queen from a different line, is that it is taught that swarming is an inherted trait. My thoughts are that if that was the only reason bees swarmed we would long ago have eliminated swarming!

[balhanapi]

This forum rocks!!! U get your answers so precise and so quick! I should've registered earlier! smile.gif

[Budster]

I have bought lemmon grass oil off of EBay before. Just do a search, it will bee there...

[iddee]

>>This forum rocks!!! <<

Yes,
Some with the music,
Others in their rocking chairs.. smile.gif

[BjornBee]

Throwing rocks is popular too!

[kenpkr]

Check for lemongrass oil at health food stores or co-op grocery stores. They usually have a display of essential oils. I used it successfully for the first time this spring.

[balhanapi]

Thanks everybody for the great info i didnt have an idea about lemongrass oil( maybe when i get it and smell it i'l remember! it may have a different name in India) Well honestly i think why not get the swarm lure sold by different beekeeping companies rather than lemongrass oil? They r about the same price (at least on the net) or is there some catch in it?

[ August 25, 2006, 09:53 AM: Message edited by: balhanapi ]

[Finman]

.

I advice all to change swarming queen and it's daugter. Swarming is natural habit of bees to reproduce. Not willing to swarm is result of bee selection by human.

Swarming is one of the most unwanted feature in beekeeping. It is like cow which all the time try run away into forest.

.

[Michael Bush]

I bought pretty much a liftime supply of Lemongrass oil here for about $16. It's much cheaper than the swarm lures and works just as well.

[Mike Gillmore]

Something else you may want to try along with the use of Lemon Grass Oil is using an empty frame or two from your existing hives.

Before swarm season next spring go into your existing hives and pull a couple of empty drawn frames and replace them with either an empty frame or one with foundation. Make sure you have fully drawn or capped comb on either side of the empty frame.
Then you will have a drawn frame or two to put into the swarm box to add a "hive smell" to the box along with the Lemon Grass. Once the swarm settles in it also gives them somewhere to immediately store pollen and nectar while they draw out more comb.

[balhanapi]

Thanks for the guidance. I plan to start next year but dont know how things will turn out. I think i'l bother you guys again when I get everything ready :D
In the meantime if i can have a look at someone's hives it would be great! i am in Pittsburgh PA anybody close here and willing to help this deprived beekeeper... :(

[Mike Gillmore]

I don't know how far you are willing to drive, but if you don't find anyone close, you are more then welcome to make the drive over to my area... about 1 1/2 hr from Pittsburgh. Hopefully you will find someone close by, but the door here is always open.

[balhanapi]

Thanks Mike! smile.gif I am willing t drive even farher than that to have a look at BEES! Its not like i have developed new interest in bees and i want to keep honeybees and i cant keep them- its worse! I have kept bees for 2 years and now suddenly i find myself in an apartment in an alien country where i dont even have friends who share my interests (upto a little while earlier may be he he) so that i can go and have a look at their bees! Hope u guys understand how it feels to be not able to do what u wanna do.. life as it comes..

Mike, I will come and see your bees someday although someone close by will be more feasible i think..
smile.gif