Queen introduction failure
Queen introduction failure occurs when a newly introduced queen bee is rejected or killed by the existing worker bees in a hive. This is a common challenge in beekeeping, particularly when requeening colonies or introducing queens into queenless splits or swarms. Queen rejection can be due to various factors, including stress on the colony, insufficient queen pheromones, or aggressive worker bees. Queen introduction failure leads to queenlessness, colony decline, and broodlessness. Proper queen introduction techniques are crucial to ensure queen acceptance and successful requeening.
- Slow queen introduction4
Slow queen introduction using a queen cage is a widely recommended method to increase queen acceptance. The queen is confined within a specialized cage (queen cage) and placed inside the hive, typically between frames of brood. The cage prevents immediate contact and aggression from worker bees.…
📌 none4/16/2025, 9:22:02 PM
🛠️ Queen cage
- Sugar plug in queen cage3
Using a candy plug in the queen cage is a variation of slow queen introduction that further enhances gradual queen release. The queen cage has a small opening plugged with candy (often made of sugar and honey). Worker bees must chew through the candy plug to release the queen. This process takes…
📌 diy4/16/2025, 9:22:02 PM
🛠️ Queen cage, candy plug
- Smoke and scent during introduction2
Using smoke and scent masking during queen introduction can further disrupt hive odors and increase queen acceptance. Just before introducing the queen cage, beekeepers use a smoker to puff smoke into the hive entrance, briefly disorienting the bees and disrupting hive pheromone balance.…
📌 diy4/16/2025, 9:22:02 PM
🛠️ Smoker, fuel, essential oils