Content
- 1 Why do you need to change queens?
- 2 How often do queen bees change?
- 3 What are the ways to replace queen bees in the fall?
- 4 When is the best time to change the queen of bees?
- 5 How to replace the queen in a bee colony
- 6 How does a quiet change of queen occur in a bee colony?
- 7 Caring for bees after the autumn replacement of queen bees
- 8 Conclusion
Replacing old queens is a forced process that increases the productivity of the bee colony. Naturally, replacement occurs during swarming of bees. Replacing the queen in the fall is more preferable for beekeepers. In this case, the young queen gains strength over the winter, and by spring she becomes ready to lay eggs.
Why do you need to change queens?
A queen bee is a female bee with well-developed reproductive organs. She is considered the head of the family, since her main task is to lay eggs. The queen bee stands out from the rest of the bees with her appearance. Its abdomen is shaped like a torpedo and protrudes significantly beyond its wings. The queen can leave the hive only during swarming or during active mating. It is slower compared to working individuals. The following types of queen bees are distinguished:
- swarmers;
- quiet shift;
- fistulous.
Less quality larvae reproduce with fistulous queen bees. This is due to the fact that they have to be placed in small cells. The most common variety is considered to be swarming queens. They provide high quality honey. On average, one swarming bee lays about 15 queen cells.The disadvantage of such queen bees is their tendency to swarm. Quiet shift queens are not inferior to the previous variety in productivity. They appear when the previous uterus becomes too old. Sometimes beekeepers deliberately provoke the process of its appearance.
As a queen bee ages, its reproductive function declines. To maintain the insect population, it is necessary to stimulate the development of young queen bees. They replace the old one. Under the influence of certain factors, the uterus may die prematurely. This will lead to disruption of the hive and further death of its representatives. Therefore, the beekeeper needs to monitor the presence of the queen bee. If necessary, measures are taken to raise a new leader of the bee family.
Replacing a queen bee in the fall is somewhat risky. There is a risk of introducing a barren queen. In this case, the bees can kill the new resident of the family. They are not always willing to accept new individuals. Settlement may result in conflict, which will affect the quality and quantity of the harvest in the spring.
How often do queen bees change?
The frequency of replacement of queen bees is determined by a combination of factors. The age of the queen of the bee family is decisive. Also take into account:
- climatic conditions;
- apiary farming methods;
- biological characteristics of insects;
- the state of the family at a certain moment.
The average lifespan of a queen bee is 5 years. But after 2 years, the female becomes unsuitable for oviposition, especially under the influence of unfavorable factors.The older the queen bee, the weaker the colony. The reproductive abilities of the leader of the bees also depend on the quality of honey collection. If it was long and productive, the uterus wears out faster. Therefore, it is better to change the queens in the apiary at least once every 2 years. But many beekeepers prefer to change queens annually.
What are the ways to replace queen bees in the fall?
There are several ways to replace the queen bee in a family. The beekeeper selects the most suitable option for himself. Most often, replacement is practiced without searching for the queen of the family. This method is called silent uterine change. A mature queen cell containing a young queen bee is placed in the hive. If the bees accept it, they gradually release the cocoon, waiting for the appearance of a new queen. After her first oviposition, the old individual becomes unsuitable for further reproduction. The bees get rid of it on their own. Silent replacement of the uterus can be triggered by unforeseen events - illness, rodent attack, hypothermia of the uterus, etc.
Replacing the uterus in September can be done by creating a layer. It is separated from the main part of the bees by a partition. In this case, active procreation work will be carried out in both parts of the hive. Over time, families unite. And the old individual is kicked out of the hive as unnecessary.
When is the best time to change the queen of bees?
Beekeepers prefer to change the queen in the autumn. It is believed that young individuals rarely die during wintering. They are most resistant to high temperatures. In the fall, the hive is treated with chemical solutions.An old individual may not survive it due to its weakened state. Therefore, the hive with a new queen is processed.
Replacement can be made at any time, from April to September. Each beekeeper has his own approach to this process. Statistics show that replacement before the main honey harvest is more productive. But other factors that may affect the quality of the crop should be taken into account.
How to replace the queen in a bee colony
The queen bee is responsible for the genetic component of the bee family. If she stops laying eggs, there is a need to replace her. Initially, you need to find the queen of the family. To do this, it is advisable to inspect the frames with the largest amount of bee brood. Externally, the main individual is larger than other bees. But she can hide in honeycombs, which makes her invisible.
To facilitate the search process, it is recommended to divide the family into 2 parts. To do this, you can equip a temporary home for each of them. After 3 days, eggs will appear in one of the boxes. It is in this that the queen bee hides. Problems with finding it may arise if the bees are too aggressive.
The discovered uterus should be placed in a nucleus or killed immediately. Within 24 hours after removing the old queen, a new individual must be placed in the hive. You can also use a quiet shift queen cell. It is placed in the hive without touching the leader. Over time, the bees themselves will provoke a replacement, relying on instincts. Replacement without searching for the old queen bee is not recommended. This is due to the following reasons:
- low probability of successful adoption of the uterus;
- lack of control over the uterus;
- The replacement process is only possible in good weather.
For the bees to accept the new queen, she must have the scent of the family. One trick will help with this. It is necessary to irrigate the bees and the queen with sugar syrup with the addition of mint. If no measures are taken in advance, the bees can kill the guest by sticking their sting into her. In some cases, the new queen is simply ignored. She ends up dying of hunger.
How does a quiet change of queen occur in a bee colony?
Any beekeeper is interested in quietly replacing queen bees in September. This procedure is considered less traumatic for the family. But next year it will bear fruit. It is nature for bees to breed a new leader in case of injury or illness of the old one. They learn about this event by smell. The killing of the old uterus in favor of a new one is a major aspect of the instinct of self-preservation.
Beekeepers provoke a quiet change even if the reproductive rate of the old queen bee does not decrease. The reason for such actions is the desire to collect as much harvest as possible. To provoke the breeding of a new queen, it is enough to divide the hive into two parts and add a queen cell to one of the parts.
Caring for bees after the autumn replacement of queen bees
The autumn replacement of queen bees is a kind of stress for the inhabitants of the hive. In order for the repopulation to take place with the least losses, the beekeeper provides high-quality care for the bee family. First of all, the hive is treated to prevent infectious and fungal diseases. The new queen may bring them from another home.
After moving the queen bee, you need to regularly look into the hive.Bees are capable of throwing out a new queen if they don't like her. You also need to put more food into the hive. It is advisable to use at least 5 liters of sugar syrup per hive. Within a week the first eggs should appear. If this happens, the feeding process continues. A feeder with the same amount of syrup is placed in the hive. It is necessary to look into the hive with a new queen more often than usual. It is labor-intensive, but the result will exceed expectations.
Since in the fall it is necessary to prepare the bees for winter, the hive is carefully insulated. Frames are placed on the inside, and the outside of the bee house is insulated with any available material. Most often, polystyrene foam or mineral wool are used. The wintering of insects depends on the quality of thermal insulation. Don't forget about the ventilation holes. Without the required amount of oxygen, the air in the hive will be too dry.
Replacing queens in August requires no less close attention. The difference is that when sending bees to winter, the beekeeper can be sure that the new queen has been accepted by the family. In this case, the likelihood of negative developments is reduced.
Conclusion
Replacing the queen in the fall is an optional process, but many beekeepers try to stick to it. The result of this change is high productivity of the family and quality of honey. But it is extremely important to carry out the replacement of queen bees strictly in accordance with established rules.
