Requeen with a mated queen if supercedure fails

If no eggs or young larvae appear 3-4 weeks after supercedure queen cells were capped, the new queen likely failed to mate or was lost on a mating flight. Introduce a commercially raised mated queen ($25-$50 from reputable breeders) using a candy-plug cage to restore the colony before it declines from brood loss.

Steps

1. Confirm queenlessness: Look for eggs, young larvae, and the queen herself on every brood frame. A roaring hive sound and agitated behavior reinforce queenlessness.
2. Remove any remaining queen cells: Destroy leftover cells so the colony accepts the new queen rather than investing in another emergency cell.
3. Install the queen cage: Place the candy-plug cage between the top bars of two central brood frames. The workers chew through the candy plug over 2-4 days, allowing gradual pheromone introduction.
4. Verify acceptance after 5 days: Look for fresh eggs near the cage location. If the queen is balled or dead, introduce a second queen with an extended cage period of 5-7 days.

Tips

• Order replacement queens in advance during swarm season (April-June) when breeders sell out quickly
• Late-season requeening (September+) has lower acceptance rates; feed the colony 1:1 sugar syrup to simulate a nectar flow
• Avoid opening the hive for 5 full days after installation to reduce rejection risk