Introduce a purchased mated queen

When a virgin queen fails to mate after 3-4 weeks, replace her with a commercially bred mated queen to restore egg-laying quickly. This is the most reliable fix for confirmed mating failure, especially late in the season when there is not enough time for another mating cycle.

Steps

1. Confirm mating failure by checking for a spotty drone-brood-only pattern or complete absence of eggs after 4 weeks post-emergence
2. Remove the failed queen and any emergency queen cells the colony may have started
3. Place the new queen in a candy-plug cage between two frames of open brood and leave the hive undisturbed
4. Check after 5-7 days for queen release and the presence of fresh eggs in a solid pattern

Tips

• Mated queens cost $25-$50 USD from reputable breeders and are available spring through late summer
• Source queens bred for your climate and with documented hygienic behavior or Varroa resistance traits
• Do not direct-release the queen; the 2-3 day candy-plug delay allows gradual pheromone acceptance
• Late-season requeening (after August in northern climates) should use locally mated queens adapted to your winter conditions