Requeening

Requeening, or replacing the queen bee, can be a beneficial strategy for managing European Foulbrood (EFB). EFB is often linked to colony stress and genetic susceptibility. Introducing a new queen, especially from hygienic stock, can improve the colony's overall health and resistance to EFB. Hygienic bees are better at detecting and removing diseased larvae, aiding in disease cleanup. Requeening is particularly useful in cases of recurrent EFB or when colonies are weakened. It is often combined with other EFB management practices. Selecting queens from reputable breeders who emphasize hygienic traits is important for long-term EFB resistance. A queen cage is used for safe introduction of the new queen, and a hive tool is essential for hive manipulation during requeening.