Introduce a mated queen

When the colony is confirmed queenless and has no eggs or young larvae suitable for raising a new queen, introduce a purchased mated queen. Place the queen in a candy-plug cage between two brood frames and leave the colony undisturbed for 5-7 days before checking for acceptance and egg-laying.

Why It Works

A mated queen restores queenright status immediately and can begin laying within days of release. This prevents the colony from becoming hopelessly queenless, which leads to laying workers, population decline, and eventual collapse.

Tips

• Remove all emergency queen cells before introducing the new queen so the colony does not reject her in favour of their own queen cell
• Do not release the queen directly; the candy-plug cage allows gradual pheromone introduction over 2-3 days
• Source queens from reputable breeders with known genetics and disease resistance
• Avoid opening the hive for at least 5 days after introduction to reduce rejection risk