If I need a new queen, do I need some brood too

2025 Views 4 Replies 5 Participants Last post by bjerm2, May 25, 2010

beezy12

Discussion Starter · May 23, 2010

I am a new beekeeper. Have been reading so many posts here and they are so helpful:

Problem-I currently have no queen. For at least 3 weeks, I have had no eggs, larvae. I am new....I did say that, right

. Well, I was taught to cut off all queen cells....I did...so now I am queenless as I guess they have swarmed.

question: if I order a new queen (becuase I can't get them to build one with only one hive and no larvae).....do I need a frame of brood so that there will be nurse bees to take care of the new bees???

Oh, I need some advice on this. Please help. This hive was doing so well. Thanks so much.
Robin

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· #2 · May 24, 2010

There should be bee's in the hive to do the job. Just get a new queen or a frame of eggs from another hive. A new queen will produce quicker, but a frame of eggs will be cheaper.

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bfriendly

· #3 · May 24, 2010

No,

First read about virgin queens and make sure you are confident you do not have a virgin queen in the hive before you release the new queen.

If it was a brand new package that went queenless, a frame of brood might be a pretty good idea, but it doesn't sound like the case.

Not sure about the advice to let bees raise queen off a frame of eggs in FL... talk to the locals about AHB before you think of doing this...

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johng

· #4 · May 25, 2010

You should not have any problems with AHB in St. Aug.

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bjerm2

· #5 · May 25, 2010

Brood helps but is not necessary. If there are no eggs or larva then I would order a new queen and have her in a 2x2 inch cage with one or two attendants. See this link to get a better idea of what I have always done with great results. They never killed the queen. Once she starts to lay eggs you can let her out but do it slowly so as not to alarm her and you should be all set. Good Luck
http://www.glenn-apiaries.com/QnIntroInstr.html
This WEBB site has some great ideas for the beekeeeper who wants to raise and keep queens.
Dan

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